Faced with mounting losses and consignment delays due to new European Union-G7 sanctions, Indian diamond exporters are calling for a separate screening process to be set up in India, so that the newly mandated procedures for exports to Western countries can be processed smoothly.
The issue, which could prove as protracted as discussions over sanctions on Russian oil have been, was raised with a delegation from Belgium, one of the main sources of India’s diamond imports, during the visit of the Belgian Foreign Secretary, or President of the MFA Board, Theodora Gentzis (April 9-10), who met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday, held talks at the Joint Economic Council with Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal, and held the second India-Belgian Foreign Office Consultations (FoC) co-chaired by the MEA Secretary (West) Pavan Kapoor in Delhi on Wednesday.
“The G7 diamond file was discussed with our Indian interlocutors. Our cooperation around diamonds is an important theme in our economic relations, about which we continue to discuss regularly,” the Belgium Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said in response to queries from The Hindu.
