India's 2026 Kimberley Process Chairmanship: UPSC Current Affairs Story Arc

Overview

India has been selected to lead the Kimberley Process (KP) in 2026, a critical international mechanism established to prevent 'conflict diamonds' from entering the mainstream market. As the world's leading hub for cutting and polishing, India imports nearly 40% of all global rough diamonds, making its role as Chair vital for domestic economic stability and global ethical trade. The chairmanship involves coordinating 60 participants (representing 80 countries) and managing the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). India's 2026 agenda focuses on significant reforms, specifically aiming to broaden the definition of 'conflict diamonds' beyond just rebel-funded stones and addressing the 'veto power' that currently hampers decision-making within the body.

How This Story Evolved

India selected as Chair (May 2025) → Confirmed for 3rd term (July 2025) → Prepares role (Dec 2025) → Assumes Chair (Feb 2026) → Implements Reform Agenda (Feb 2026)

1. 2025-05-08: India to Chair Kimberley Process in 2026
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   UPSC Angle: India to chair Kimberley Process (KP) in 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • India to chair the Kimberley Process (KP) for the year 2026.
   • KP is a multinational mechanism governing the trade of 'conflict diamonds'.
   • Currently has 60 participants representing 80 countries.
   • Accounts for approximately 99.8% of global rough diamond production.
   • Nodal agency for KP in India: Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
2. 2025-05-23: India's role in Kimberley Process as Chair in 2026
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   UPSC Angle: India to chair the Kimberley Process in 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • India to chair Kimberley Process (KP) in 2026
   • Third time India chairs KP
   • Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) is the nodal agency for KP in India
   • KP has 60 participants representing 80 countries
3. 2025-07-07: India to Chair Kimberley Process in 2026
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India to chair the Kimberley Process in 2026 for conflict diamonds.

   Key Facts:

   • India will chair the Kimberley Process in 2026.
   • The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was formalized in 2003.
4. 2025-12-29: Kimberley Process – India's Role as Chair, 2026
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   UPSC Angle: Kimberley Process: India's role as chair in 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • India's Role as Chair: 2026
   • KP: a multinational mechanism or structure for governing the trade of 'conflict diamonds'
   • Purpose: to govern the trade in conflict diamonds used illegally by rebel or insurgent groups
5. 2026-02-10: Kimberley Process: India's Role and Reforms
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India chairs Kimberley Process, reforms global diamond trade.

   Key Facts:

   • India is the Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for 2026.
   • The Kimberley Process is a multinational system to stop trade in conflict diamonds.
   • The KP was initiated in 2000, and the KPCS has been operational since 2003.
   • The KP has 60 participants representing 86 countries, covering 99.8% of global rough diamond production.
   • India imports ~40% of global rough diamonds.
   • India is a global leader in cutting and polishing diamonds in Surat and Mumbai.

Genesis

Trigger

On May 8, 2025, India was officially selected to assume the Chair of the Kimberley Process for the 2026 term, following a consensus among member nations.

Why Now

India's selection coincides with a global push for more transparent supply chains and its own stature as the 'diamond factory of the world.' With the industry facing pressure over ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards, India's leadership is seen as a move to safeguard its massive export sector.

Historical Context

The KP was initiated in 2000 (operational since 2003) to stop the flow of 'blood diamonds' used by rebel groups to finance wars against legitimate governments, a definition rooted in UN Security Council resolutions.

Key Turning Points

1. [2025-05-08] India selected as Chair for 2026

   Marked the beginning of a year-long preparation phase for India to set the global diamond agenda.

   Before: India was a participant/member. After: India became the primary architect of the 2026 reform roadmap.

2. [2026-02-10] Official Assumption of Chairmanship and Reform Proposal

   India shifted from administrative preparation to active policy leadership, specifically targeting the narrow definition of conflict diamonds.

   Before: Discussion on reforms was theoretical. After: India began using its chair powers to address the 'political veto' issue.

Key Actors and Institutions

Key Institutions

• Kimberley Process (KP)
• Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)
• United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
• Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)

Key Concepts

Conflict Diamonds

Rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments.

Current Fact: The KP covers 99.8% of global rough diamond production to ensure they are 'conflict-free' under this definition.

KPCS (Certification Scheme)

A joint government, industry, and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds through a system of tamper-proof certificates.

Current Fact: The KPCS has been operational since 2003 and is the primary tool India will oversee in 2026.

Mid-stream Diamond Industry

The segment of the diamond value chain focused on cutting, polishing, and manufacturing, situated between mining (up-stream) and retail (down-stream).

Current Fact: India imports approximately 40% of global rough diamonds for its mid-stream operations in cities like Surat.

What Happens Next

Current Status

As of February 10, 2026, India has officially assumed the Chairmanship and has begun implementing its reform agenda to modernize the governance of the rough-diamond trade.

Likely Next

Upcoming plenary meetings in mid-2026 where India will push for a revised definition of 'conflict diamonds' to include state-sponsored violence or broader human rights abuses.

Wildcards

Geopolitical tensions could lead to a 'veto' from major diamond-producing nations (like Russia or African nations) who may resist a broader definition of conflict diamonds that could impact their exports.

Why UPSC Cares

Syllabus Topics

• Distribution of Key Natural Resources across the world
• Important International institutions, agencies and fora - their structure, mandate
• Changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth

Essay Angles

• Ethical Consumption: The role of international certification in modern trade
• India's emergence as a rule-maker rather than a rule-taker in global trade forums

Prelims Likely: Yes

Mains Likely: Yes

Trend Signal: rising

Exam Intelligence

Previous Year Question Connections

• Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and his discussion on Indian diamonds. — Shows long-standing historical interest in the diamond trade; modern chairmanship is the current evolution of this resource-based diplomacy.
• Matching resources with countries (e.g., Botswana and Diamonds). — Highlights the geopolitical importance of diamond-producing nations that India must lead as KP Chair.
• Location of the Indian Diamond Institute in Surat. — Validates Surat as the core hub for the industry India is representing on the world stage.

Prelims Angles

• The nodal agency for the Kimberley Process in India is the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
• India is a member of KP for the third time in 2026; the process was formalized in 2003.
• The current KP definition of 'conflict diamonds' is restricted to 'rebel groups'—a key fact India wants to change.
• The KP accounts for 99.8% of global rough diamond production.

Mains Preparation

Sample Question: As India assumes the Chair of the Kimberley Process in 2026, evaluate the challenges it faces in reforming the definition of 'conflict diamonds'. How does India’s dominance in the mid-stream diamond industry influence its leadership in this forum?

Answer Structure: Intro: Define KP and India's role as 2026 Chair. Body 1: Discuss the economic significance (40% imports, Surat hub). Body 2: Explain current definition challenges (narrow scope, political veto). Analysis: The tension between ethical standards and supply chain stability. Way Forward: Consensus-building with African producers and the role of GJEPC.

Essay Topic: The Geopolitics of Gemstones: Balancing National Interest with Global Ethics.

Textbook Connections

Key Takeaway

India's 2026 KP Chairmanship is a strategic move to secure its dominant diamond industry by leading global reforms that ensure ethical transparency without disrupting the supply chain.

All Events in This Story (5 items)

1. 2025-05-08 [International Relations] — India to Chair Kimberley Process in 2026
   India has assumed the chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for the year 2026. The KP is a multinational mechanism governing the trade of 'conflict diamonds', with 60 participants representing 80 countries and accounting for approximately 99.8% of global rough diamond production.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India to chair Kimberley Process (KP) in 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • India to chair the Kimberley Process (KP) for the year 2026.
   • KP is a multinational mechanism governing the trade of 'conflict diamonds'.
   • Currently has 60 participants representing 80 countries.
   • Accounts for approximately 99.8% of global rough diamond production.
   • Nodal agency for KP in India: Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
2. 2025-05-23 [International Relations] — India's role in Kimberley Process as Chair in 2026
   India has been chosen to chair the Kimberley Process (KP) for the third time in 2026. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) ensures that only diamonds from legitimate sources enter the global supply chain.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India to chair the Kimberley Process in 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • India to chair Kimberley Process (KP) in 2026
   • Third time India chairs KP
   • Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) is the nodal agency for KP in India
   • KP has 60 participants representing 80 countries
3. 2025-07-07 [International Relations] — India to Chair Kimberley Process in 2026
   India has been chosen to chair the Kimberley Process (KP) for the third time in 2026. The KP is a multinational mechanism governing the trade of 'conflict diamonds'. It involves governments, the international diamond industry, and civil society.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India to chair the Kimberley Process in 2026 for conflict diamonds.

   Key Facts:

   • India will chair the Kimberley Process in 2026.
   • The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was formalized in 2003.
4. 2025-12-29 [International Relations] — Kimberley Process – India's Role as Chair, 2026
   The Kimberley Process (KP) is a multinational mechanism for governing the trade of 'conflict diamonds,' involving governments, the international diamond industry, and civil society. It aims to govern the trade in conflict diamonds used by rebel groups to undermine legitimate governments, as defined in United Nations Security Council resolutions. India will be the chair of the Kimberley Process in 2026.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Kimberley Process: India's role as chair in 2026.

   Key Facts:

   • India's Role as Chair: 2026
   • KP: a multinational mechanism or structure for governing the trade of 'conflict diamonds'
   • Purpose: to govern the trade in conflict diamonds used illegally by rebel or insurgent groups
5. 2026-02-10 [International Relations] — Kimberley Process: India's Role and Reforms
   As the Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for 2026, India has the opportunity to reform the global governance of the rough-diamond trade, which aims to halt trade in conflict diamonds. Key issues within the KP include a narrow definition of conflict diamonds and the political veto power of individual countries. India imports approximately 40% of global rough diamonds and is a leader in cutting and polishing.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: India chairs Kimberley Process, reforms global diamond trade.

   Key Facts:

   • India is the Chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) for 2026.
   • The Kimberley Process is a multinational system to stop trade in conflict diamonds.
   • The KP was initiated in 2000, and the KPCS has been operational since 2003.
   • The KP has 60 participants representing 86 countries, covering 99.8% of global rough diamond production.
   • India imports ~40% of global rough diamonds.
   • India is a global leader in cutting and polishing diamonds in Surat and Mumbai.