IJ Power List 2026 honours the leaders redefining Indian jewellery retail through governance, innovation, cultural stewardship, and disciplined growth—celebrating visionaries shaping the industry’s future with clarity, credibility, and conviction.

Prêt by Couture India opened at Grand Hyatt Mumbai with a clear focus on lightweight design, operational discipline, and calibrated growth, reflecting an industry that aligns creativity with commercial precision in evolving retail markets.

Despite a sharp contraction in shipments to the United States, India’s gems and jewellery exports show resilience, supported by strong growth in the UAE, Hong Kong and emerging global markets.

Limelight Lab Grown Diamonds accelerates retail and supply-chain growth with capital infusion and vertical integration to capitalize on booming Indian LGD demand.

New luxury brand Daimanté launches in India with AI-generated design workflows and sustainable lab-grown diamonds, offering hallmark-assured collections and digital-first retail strategy, redefining premium product offerings for modern jewellery retailers.

Sawansukha Indian Institute of Jewellery organized a student-led sustainable design competition, challenging participants to create jewellery from scrap materials to promote circular thinking and responsible craftsmanship within design education.

The objective of Gemological Science International (GSI) is not just to issue reports, but to help the trade build credibility with its customers through transparent and consistent certification, and ensure that certification, testing and education remain aligned with how the jewellery business is actually conducted on the ground, says Ramit Kapur, Managing Director, GSI, in a conversation with Dhwani Rathod.

The GJEPC has welcomed the India-U.S, trade agreement announcement, saying the move could ease tariff pressures and provide much-needed relief to India's gem and jewellery exporters/

IGI acquired American Gemological Laboratories on January 31, 2026, in New York and Mumbai to expand coloured gemstone certification, linking US and India markets through a combined global platform.

The EU-India FTA offers a significant boost to India’s gems and jewellery industry through reduced tariffs, easier market access, and improved competitiveness in Europe. The pact is expected to accelerate exports, attract investment, strengthen manufacturing, and reinforce India’s position as a trusted global sourcing hub for premium jewellery, says Suneeta Kaul.

Union Budget 2026-27 makes a strong push for MSMEs, with a Rs 10,000-crore SME Growth Fund; besides, it enables faster payments via mandatory TReDS for CPSE purchases. Overall, the Budget emphasizes fiscal prudence, infrastructure creation, and ease of doing business. For a sector navigating global uncertainty, shifting consumer preferences, and rising compliance standards, it is stability that the enabler.

HRD Antwerp opened a new certification laboratory in Hyderabad on January 31, 2026, to expand regional access to diamond and jewellery grading services for manufacturers and retailers in South India.

IGI inaugurated its second Jaipur laboratory on January 29, 2026 in Sitapura to expand coloured gemstone testing, improve turnaround times and support manufacturers and exporters across North India.

Divine Solitaires outlines its India strategy to position natural diamond solitaires for proposals, anniversaries, birthdays, self-purchase and Mangalsutra ceremonies, aiming to expand repeat-purchase opportunities for jewellery retailers.