Indian Minister for State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh plans to visit Africa next month with a high-level trade delegation to enhance collaboration with key diamond-producing regions. He intends to visit diamond producing areas in Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Angola from March 21-28 and to explore possible partnerships for the Indian diamond industry. These four African countries are becoming key diamond producing countries, and several firms intend to set up polishing plants in the area. India has long been a center of diamond cutting and polishing. In return for rough diamonds that would be imported from Africa, the country would provide cutting and polishing training and technical assistance to set up local units there. India increasingly is facing competition in diamonds from Dubai, China, Thailand and Israel. These nations are offering tax holidays to diamond companies to encourage them to build plants there. Ramesh stated that India must focus on technology, creativity and design to allow the country’s domestic diamond industry to compete.
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