Mumbai, May 12 (IANS): The Kimberley Process Intersessional Meeting 2026 began in India on Tuesday, with India as Chair, bringing together representatives from Kimberley Process Participants, Observers, and industry stakeholders from across the world to deliberate on key issues related to the global trade in natural diamonds, a Commerce Ministry statement said. The meeting, being held from May 11-14, was addressed by KP Chair 2026 Suchindra Misra, who stated that the Kimberley Process has played an important role in supporting peace, protecting livelihoods, and strengthening legitimate diamond trade across producing nations, while emphasising the need to further strengthen trust in the system, enhance cooperation among participants, and ensure that the Kimberley Process remains relevant and effective in a changing global environment. Misra also highlighted that natural diamonds represent a sustainable product and that the Kimberley Process continues to remain one of the most progressive certification systems globally. India assumed the Chairship of the Kimberley Process on January 1, 2026, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening responsible sourcing, transparency, and sustainability in the global diamond sector, and as one of the world’s leading centres for diamond cutting and polishing, continues to play an important role in advancing the objectives of the Kimberley Process.
The Intersessional Meeting will include discussions and meetings of various Working Groups and Committees over the coming days, with deliberations focusing on implementation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, monitoring and compliance mechanisms, artisanal and alluvial diamond production, statistics, and measures aimed at strengthening trust in the natural diamond value chain. The meeting is also expected to provide an opportunity for participants and observers to exchange views on emerging challenges and collaborative approaches for enhancing consumer confidence in ethically sourced natural diamonds. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is an international initiative aimed at preventing the flow of conflict diamonds into the legitimate diamond trade, and at present has 60 Participants representing 86 countries, with the European Union and its Member States participating as a single bloc. India’s Chairship theme for 2026 focuses on the 3Cs – credibility, compliance, and consumer confidence – in the natural diamond sector, with emphasis on strengthening the future of responsibly sourced natural diamonds through constructive dialogue and international collaboration.