Surat, November 21. Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) Chairman Kirit Bhansali participated in the India-Israel CEO Forum held in Tel Aviv on November 20, 2025, as part of a high-level Indian business delegation led by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal. This visit marks the first trip by an Indian Commerce Minister to Israel in several years, signaling a renewed momentum in bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
The India-Israel CEO Forum was inaugurated by Piyush Goyal alongside Israel's Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat, with both leaders characterizing the event as the beginning of a new era of friendship and opportunity. As per agency report, Bhansali met with Minister Barkat during the visit to discuss strengthening collaboration in areas such as responsible diamond sourcing, innovation-based manufacturing, and the digital transformation of supply chains.
Highlighting the significance of the tour, Bhansali noted that the historic visit by the Union Minister has opened new avenues for deeper cooperation in trade, technology, and investment. He observed that Israel's technological leadership and India's unmatched manufacturing scale complement each other perfectly. The GJEPC Chairman expressed confidence that this engagement would foster new investments and solidify India's position as a global hub for diamond, jewelry, and precision manufacturing.
Bilateral gem and jewelry trade between India and Israel has traditionally centered on diamonds, and recent months have shown strong signs of improvement in these trade relations. Data indicates that between April and September 2025, India's imports from Israel rose by more than 60 percent. Furthermore, the export of gold jewelry from India to Israel witnessed a surge of over 200 percent, crossing the USD 25 million mark.
Bhansali also mentioned that the GJEPC looks forward to strong and constructive engagement from Israel, recognized as a pillar of the global diamond industry, in the Kimberley Process. This cooperation is viewed as essential for strengthening the global diamond ecosystem.
