The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for initiating the process of winding up of Hindustan Diamond Company Private Limited (HDCPL), a 50:50 joint venture of the Government of India and De Beers Centenary Mauritius Limited (DBCML).

The HDCPL was incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 in 1978. The objective of formation of the Company was to supply rough diamonds to diamond processing industry in India, particularly to small and medium diamond jewellery exporters, who had no direct access to rough diamonds from Diamond Trading Company (DTC), London, the marketing arm of De Beers who held a very large chunk of world’s rough diamonds market.

The winding up of HDCPL is not likely to affect supply of rough diamonds to Indian diamantaires as Indian diamond industry has grown in these years and several Indian players are sightholders with top diamond producers now. Also, with the objective to facilitate the constant supply of rough diamonds and to make India an International Diamond Trading Hub, the Government has created a Special Notified Zone (SNZ) at Bharat Diamond Bourse, Mumbai in 2015. At present viewing operations are being carried out in the SNZ at Mumbai wherein Foreign Mining Companies (FMCs) only display their rough diamond lots to the Indian manufacturers and then take them back. Thereafter the sales are carried through e-auction from offices situated in other countries to Indian manufacturers. This facility has enabled even smaller Indian players to have direct access of supply of rough diamonds.

Winding up of a government-De Beers joint venture approved; diamond supply continuity supported by SNZ viewing and e auction access. Approval was granted to initiate the winding up of Hindustan Diamond Company Private Limited, a 50:50 government-De Beers joint venture formed to supply rough diamonds to Indian processors. The action is not expected to disrupt supply because Indian firms have become sightholders and a Special Notified Zone at the Bharat Diamond Bourse facilitates domestic viewing by Foreign Mining Companies while sales occur via e-auction from abroad, maintaining market access for smaller manufacturers.