The Carats 2025 trade show is switching to a smaller venue amid the ongoing diamond industry downturn.
The three-day B2B event, organized by the Surat Diamond Association (SDA), will take place at Avadh Utopia lifestyle club and hotel, in Surat, rather than the 1.5m sq ft Surat International Exhibition and Convention Centre (SIECC) where it has been held previously.
Only 73 exhibitors have registered for the event, which opens on 11 July, according to Times of India, compared to 118 last year.
Organizers said the move was in response to participants’ preferences, rather than lower exhibitor numbers. Many diamond manufacturers expressed a preference for a venue with hotel facilities.
SDA says in an Instagram post that it’s expecting over 7,000 visitors and over 200 buyers. In 2024 it reported 10,000 visitors.
“This milestone attendance underscores the exhibition’s position as a leading platform for showcasing innovation and excellence in diamond industry,” said SDA Jagdishbhai Khunt at the time.
A high-profile Indian delegation led by Shri R. Arulanandan, Director, Department of Commerce, Government of India actively participated in the “Opportunities in India” event, hosted by the Consulate General of India in Cape Town and the Government of India. The event was held on the sidelines of the prestigious Mining Indaba 2025.
The delegation, which included Shri Rajat Wani, Regional Director – Surat, GJEPC, highlighted the potential of Special Notified Zones (SNZs) for diamonds in Mumbai and Surat, focusing on their role in simplifying trade processes. Stressing the need to reduce the number of intermediaries in the diamond value chain, they underscored the importance of facilitating more direct trade of rough diamonds between India and African mining nations.
Direct auctioning of diamonds in SNZs was presented as a mutually beneficial strategy. Such a framework would enable African mining countries to secure higher returns on their diamond exports while allowing Indian buyers greater access to competitively priced rough diamonds.
The discussions also explored the necessity of consignment exports, a move that could align with African nations’ policies, such as “temporary export” mechanisms. The Indian delegation expressed optimism about overcoming logistical and regulatory challenges, ensuring a streamlined process that benefits all stakeholders.
