Extending credit facilities and introduction of presumptive tax/turnover tax will benefit industry for a better performance.
The fall in exports of gems and jewellery exports is mainly because of shortage of raw-material for jewellery manufacturing.
Demand is weak in traditional markets like US and EU.
The Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the apex body set up by the Union ministry of commerce to monitor the jewellery business overseas, says it might call for pulling out of the diamond cutting and polishing business in China.
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To boost domestic manufacturing under the Make in India initiative and reduce dependency on imports, the government is expected to announce in the Budget an increase in the minimum local content requirement for public procurement, with certain sectors being granted exceptions. Currently, firms producing goods, services, or works with at least 50 per cent local content are classified as Class-I local suppliers and are preferred the most in government procurement.
Gold sales on Dhanteras are estimated to drop 10 per cent in volume terms year-on-year on sharp 33 per cent annual rise in rates of the yellow metal, according to industry players. Since Dhanteras -- the most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar for buying items ranging from precious metals to utensils -- is celebrated on two days till 1.11 pm on Wednesday, jewellers are expecting more footfalls in both online and offline stores.
The FM proposed reduction in basic customs duty on gold and silver to 6 per cent and platinum to 6.4 per cent.
Imports of rough diamonds at $7,249.39 (Rs 32,839.73 crore) million in April 08 - February 09 have shown a decline of dollar term 20.12 per cent (11.31 per cent in rupee term) compared with $9,075.36 million (Rs 37,027.47 crore) in the same period last year. The marginal growth in exports of cut and polished diamonds in the year 2008-09 from the corresponding period of last year is due to increase in the trading activities of cut and polished diamonds.
The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth over Rs 14 crore belonging to the Gitanjali Group and its promoter and jeweller Mehul Choksi, one of the prime accused in the alleged over Rs 13,000 crore PNB loan fraud case. The properties attached, under the anti-money laundering law, include a flat measuring 1,460 sq feet located at O2 Tower in Goregaon area of Mumbai, gold and platinum jewellery, diamond stones, necklaces made of silver and pearls, watches and a Mercedes Benz car, the ED said in a statement. A provisional order for attachment has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for the assets worth a total Rs 14.45 crore that are in the name of Gitanjali Group of companies and its director Mehul Choksi, it said.
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The industry alleges the government has been apathetic, despite their pleas for quick action. However, H2 may be different as The US-China trade war had opened a window for Indian exporters to ship more to America.
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Gitanjali gems successfully completed its take over of Nakshatra Diamonds. Gitanjali now plans to make it a jewellery and lifestyle brand.
In the 76 years since India gained independence, 53 recipients of the Bharat Ratna have been there. That's less than one every year, which is a healthy ratio given there is the sanctity of this gem of an award to preserve. But four recipients for the year were announced in a few days in addition to one announced earlier. That took the total number in 2024 to five in less than a month, the highest for any year, post-Independence, notes Shyam G Menon.
"To support our massive retail activities, we plan to have our own textile brands - three women's wear brands, one men's wear and one kid's wear - in the next six months," says Deepak Tulsian, vice president, retail, of Gitanjali Gems.
'We want the government to provide job security for all these workers,' says E S N Reddy, district general secretary of CITU.
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The senior IPS officer said Tata displayed resoluteness, uncharacteristic of his calm demeanour, when the iconic hotel came under attack.
The government was close to imposing presumptive tax and the goods and services tax on the gems and jewellery sector
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GJEPC seeks two year Direct and Indirect tax holiday on export earnings of Gems and Jewellery Industry, considering difficult export market faced in the current fiscal
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The escalation of conflict in the West Asian region is expected to push already high logistics costs besides hurting trade in sectors such as oil, electronics and agriculture, according to exporters. They said that insurance costs for exports to the countries directly involved in the war could also go up, which will impact Indian exporters' working capital. Think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) stated that the conflict is already hurting India's trade with countries like Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon.
Gems and jewellery exports may have risen over 20 per cent so far this fiscal, but the rising rupee has cost 150,000 diamond workers their jobs in the last one year, the head of the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, Sanjay Kothari, said.
Gitanjali Gems is foraying into the business of providing gold loans and safe deposits vaults. The company has also acquired Trinity Watch Co and Renaissance Retail Ventures for undisclosed sums. It has also formed a subsidiary, Mohar Jewels. It will soon launch the fashion retail format through its retail subsidiary Gitanjali Lifestyle. The company has tied-up with three fashion designers to introduce fashion apparels and private labels and will also open exclusive stores.
Snapping the two months slide, the country's merchandise exports rose marginally by 0.5 per cent to $34.58 billion in September while trade deficit narrowed to $20.78 billion. According to official data released on Wednesday, imports increased by 1.6 per cent to $55.36 billion in September compared to $54.49 billion in the year-ago period. The trade deficit, or the gap between imports and exports, was $20.8 billion during the same month last year.
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As a first major step towards making India a global trading hub the government on Monday constituted an expert committee for looking into the entire fiscal issues affecting the gems and jewellery sector.
Banks are sensing warning signals of potential loan defaults from gems and jewellery exporters as the appreciating rupee continues to dent their profits. Loan accounts of a few diamond and jewellery exporters are already showing signs of stress, with banks receiving delayed payments.
India's exports registered a steepest decline in 13-month falling 9.3 per cent in August to $34.71 billion due to global economic uncertainties, while the trade deficit soared to a 10-month of $29.65 billion. According to the government data released on Tuesday, imports increased by 3.3 per cent to $64.36 billion, which is a record high, due to a significant jump in the inbound shipments of gold and silver.
Leading diamond jewellery manufacturer and retailer Gitanjali Gems Ltd is entering into real estate business through its maiden residential project at Borivli, in Mumbai's western suburb.
