India Launches New Trade Fair in Dubai

RAPAPORT... India's major jewelry trade body has launched a new exhibition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), expressing optimism that flights between the two countries will resume this summer.The first International Gem & Jewellery Show (IGJS) will take place from August 14 to 16 in Dubai, India's Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) said Wednesday. It will have space for 150 booths - with priority going to GJEPC members - and will target buyers from across the Middle East and beyond.Air travel between India and the Middle East is currently suspended because of Covid-19. However, the GJEPC said it was "hopeful" that India's decline in infections would enable flights to resume by the end of June."A physical exhibition in Dubai this August will be an ideal way to connect with international clients from across the world, as key export markets such as the US, Hong Kong and the UAE have opened up for economic activities and are witnessing considerable demand for diamonds, gemstones and jewelry," said GJEPC chairman Colin Shah.The Middle East is one of the Indian gem and jewelry trade's most important export destinations, accounting for 40% of total orders, according to the GJEPC. The show will feature sections for different categories of plain and studded jewelry, as well as for loose diamonds and gemstones.India's trade-show calendar has fallen victim to the pandemic, with no major shows occurring since February 2020. The India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) Signature exhibition was due to run in April in Mumbai, but was canceled because of the country's second virus wave.Image: The Dubai skyline. (Shutterstock)