Malawi High Commissioner scouts for gemstone cutting and polishing machines in India

Despite not being endowed with diamond and gemstone minerals, India is by far, the largest exporter of jewellery and polished gemstones. India's gems and jewellery industry is one of the important foundations of the country export-led growth. It is a leading foreign exchange earner and one of the fastest growing sectors, which accounted for 14 percent of India’s total merchandise exports during 2011-2012.

Although Gemstones account for only 1 % of India’s exports, this is still a huge contribution to the country’s economy, going by the nominal contribution. Perhaps this is in sharp contrast with the scenario in Malawi. With abundant gemstones available in Malawi, the country has not done much to promote the gemstone industry as it should have done. Even today, very little cutting and polishing of gemstones is taking place in Malawi. Consequently, most of the country’s semi precious stones are exported raw to India and other countries world-wide. It is against this background that His Excellency Dr. Perks Ligoya visited Anand Engineering Works Company that manufacturers Gemstone cutting and polishing machines in Jaipur Rajasthan on 19October 2013. 

In Jaipur, among other things, the High Commissioner had hands on experience on some of the machines for cutting and polishing of gemstones. The High Commissioner was convinced that these machines could easily be transferred to Malawi and could do wonder in transforming the landscape of the gemstone industry in Malawi. The Managing Director of the Company, Mr. Krishan  Johri, informed the High Commissioner that his company was ready to support Malawi's initiative to promote the gemstone industry. He further assured the High Commissioner that Anand Engineering could supply and commission the Machines in Malawi upon ordering the machines.