Walk through the diamond workshops of Surat and you begin to understand the scale of India's relationship with diamonds. For generations, the city has been home to an extraordinary concentration of skill. Here, rough stones arrive from across the world and pass through the hands of craftsmen who know precisely how to cut, shape and polish them. A fraction of a millimetre can determine how brilliantly a diamond catches the light. It is a craft built over decades, often passed from one generation to the next.
Today, that same ecosystem is at the heart of a new chapter in the global diamond industry. The arrival of lab-grown diamonds has introduced a different way of producing one of the world's most coveted gemstones. And India, with its deep manufacturing expertise, established supply chains and growing jewellery market, is exceptionally well placed to shape what happens next.
A Legacy That Travels Well
India's position in the global diamond trade is remarkable. The country processes approximately 90% of the world's natural diamonds, with Surat accounting for the overwhelming majority of this activity. Over time, an entire industry has developed around this expertise: cutting and polishing units, specialist manufacturers, traders, technology providers and generations of highly skilled artisans.
When lab-grown diamonds began gaining commercial momentum, this ecosystem had an immediate advantage. The stones may have had a different origin, but the skills required to transform a rough crystal into a beautifully finished diamond remained familiar.
The precision involved in cutting a diamond, understanding its proportions, maximising its brilliance and bringing out its character takes years to master. India already has this talent in abundance.
This is one of the reasons Indian manufacturers have been able to establish themselves so quickly in the lab-grown diamond business. The country brings together manufacturing scale, craftsmanship and a supply chain that has been refined through decades of working with diamonds.
The Science Behind the Sparkle
The technology behind lab-grown diamonds is fascinating in its own right. Using two primary methods, Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) and High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT), manufacturers recreate the conditions required for diamond crystal growth.
In the CVD process, carbon-rich gases are introduced into a chamber, where carbon atoms gradually deposit onto a diamond seed, building the crystal layer by layer. HPHT uses extreme pressure and temperature to facilitate diamond growth. Depending on the process and the desired characteristics, a crystal can take several weeks to grow.
The resulting stones have the same chemical composition, crystal structure and optical properties as mined diamonds. They are real diamonds, with their own distinct origin and production journey.
Countries have developed different strengths in this emerging industry. China has invested heavily in production capacity, particularly in HPHT technology. The United States has focused on research, advanced CVD capabilities and building consumer-facing brands. India has emerged as a major force in manufacturing, processing and exports, drawing on its established diamond infrastructure.
The scale of the opportunity is already visible in the numbers. India's lab-grown diamond exports grew from approximately $225 million in FY2019 to over $1.2 billion in FY2025. The government, too, has recognised the strategic importance of the sector. The Union Budget 2023 announced a five-year research grant to an IIT to develop indigenous technology for lab-grown diamond seeds and manufacturing machinery.
With growing investments in research, technology and domestic manufacturing, India is steadily expanding its capabilities across the lab-grown diamond value chain. The opportunity ahead is enormous: to combine its established manufacturing expertise with homegrown innovation, strengthen its position as a global production hub and create greater value at every stage of the journey.
Creativity & Carats: A New Canvas of Possibility
There is another interesting consequence of the growth of lab-grown diamonds: the creative possibilities it has opened up for jewellery designers.
For a long time, the economics of diamond jewellery dictated many design decisions. The size of a centre stone, the number of diamonds in a setting and the overall scale of a piece were closely linked to the customer's investment. Greater accessibility has given designers more room to experiment.
Larger statement stones, intricate diamond compositions, elaborate cocktail rings and everyday pieces with multiple diamonds can now reach a wider audience. A customer who once considered diamond jewellery an occasional indulgence may find herself building a collection.
For India's jewellery industry, this presents an especially exciting opportunity. The country has a rich design heritage, extraordinary craftsmanship and a long history of creating jewellery that reflects its culture. From the grandeur of traditional bridal jewellery to the clean lines of contemporary fine jewellery, Indian design has an enormous vocabulary to draw from.
Combining this heritage with the possibilities of lab-grown diamonds creates room for a new generation of Indian jewellery brands, with the potential to appeal to customers across the world.
More Diamonds, More Possibilities
The consumer is changing along with the industry.
For younger buyers, jewellery is increasingly becoming an extension of personal style. A diamond can mark an engagement or a wedding, but it can also celebrate a promotion, a birthday, a personal milestone or simply a Tuesday when you feel like wearing something beautiful.
Lab-grown diamonds have helped bring this shift within reach of a larger audience. Their price accessibility allows customers to explore different sizes, designs and categories, with greater freedom to make jewellery purchases around their individual tastes and lifestyles.
The conversation around diamonds has also become more informed. Today's consumers are curious about where their jewellery comes from, how it is made, how it is certified and what they are paying for. Transparency, quality and trust are becoming increasingly important to the buying decision.
India is particularly well positioned to respond to this evolution. It has one of the world's strongest jewellery cultures, a large domestic consumer base and a new generation of buyers who are increasingly comfortable with contemporary interpretations of luxury.
The Next Big Opportunity: Building Iconic Indian Luxury Brands
The most exciting part of this story lies ahead.
For decades, India has been a manufacturing powerhouse for the global diamond industry. Indian craftsmen have helped create jewellery sold under some of the world's most recognisable luxury labels, while the manufacturing expertise behind those pieces has often remained invisible to the end consumer.
Lab-grown diamonds offer Indian businesses an opportunity to move further into design, branding and retail. The infrastructure already exists. The craftsmanship is established. The domestic market is expanding. There is also a growing pool of entrepreneurial talent building brands that understand the aspirations of a new generation of luxury consumers.
The opportunity is to bring these strengths together and create globally relevant Indian jewellery brands, with distinctive design identities, strong quality credentials and a clear understanding of their customers.
This transition is beginning to take shape. Homegrown brands such as Araiya by Aza are bringing lab-grown diamonds into contemporary fine jewellery, exploring everything from everyday elegance to statement pieces and bridal collections. The idea is to make fine jewellery more accessible while retaining the design sensibility, attention to detail and craftsmanship associated with luxury.
India's Moment to Shine
India stands at an exciting juncture in the evolution of the global diamond industry. Its manufacturing ecosystem, generations of craftsmanship, growing technological capabilities and deep understanding of jewellery give it an exceptional foundation to build upon.
Investment in research, indigenous seed production and advanced manufacturing is opening up new possibilities. At the same time, a new generation of Indian entrepreneurs and designers is bringing fresh thinking to the category, creating brands that speak to contemporary consumers while drawing on India's rich jewellery heritage.
The opportunity extends well beyond manufacturing. India can play a defining role in how lab-grown diamonds are grown, cut, designed, marketed and experienced around the world. Its strength lies in bringing together the entire journey, from scientific innovation and precision craftsmanship to original design and global brand-building.
For a country that has shaped the diamond trade for generations, this is an exciting new frontier. The foundations are already in place, the talent is here, and the ambition is growing.
India's diamond story has travelled from the cutting floors of Surat to jewellery showcases across the world. Its next chapter will hopefully see Indian innovation, design and brands taking centre stage in the global luxury market.
And that is a future worth looking forward to.
Discover Araiya by Aza, where modern luxury meets timeless brilliance.
