Four jewellers exported their first consignment of jewellery from Surat on Wednesday, when the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Free Trade Agreement) became operational.The four jewellers reached the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council office at the Surat Diamond Bourse building complex on Wednesday afternoon to send their first consignment to different cities in the United Kingdom.The jewellery exports from Surat Gaurav Jewellers, Roy Diamonds, Shish Jewels, Parvati Jewels LLP — are part of the inaugural $10 million jewellery shipment comprising gold jewellery, diamond jewellery, silver jewellery and platinum jewellery. The India–UK CETA ushers in a new era for India’s gem and jewellery industry by providing zero-duty access to the UK market from the day the agreement enters into force and eliminating UK import tariffs of up to 4 per cent. The agreement gives Indian exporters a significant competitive advantage in the UK’s $4 billion jewellery import market, paving the way for enhanced exports, investment and employment.Also Read | India-UK FTA kicks in: What changes for consumers, industryAs per the data received from DGCI &S (Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics), the India’s export to UK in Gems and Jewellery, polished natural diamond $44.51 million in 2023, which grew to $170.19 million in 2024 and $151.19 million in 2025. While in Polished Lab Grown Diamonds, the exports in 2023 was $6.26 million, which rose to $26.06 million in 2024 and $27.58 million in 2025. Similarly the exports of gold jewellery in 2023 was $70.81 million, $328.44 million in 2024 and $394.14 million in 2025. India also exports silver semi-manufactured jewellery and imitation jewellery, along with other types of jewellery. India’s total gems and jewellery exports to the UK in 2023 stood at $164.77 million and in 2024 it was $941 million, in 2025 it was $754.11 million.GJEPC chairman Kirit Bhansali said, “Today marks a proud and defining moment for India’s gem and jewellery industry as we flag off the first export consignment to the United Kingdom under the India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. This is more than the movement of goods — it is the beginning of a new chapter in India’s global trade journey. The India–UK CETA eliminates UK import tariffs of up to 4 per cent, providing Indian exporters with a significant competitive advantage in the UK’s $4 billion jewellery import market. With zero-duty access, we expect India’s gem and jewellery exports to the UK to increase from around US$754 million to nearly US$2.5 billion over the next three years. The growth will create new opportunities for exporters, manufacturers, MSMEs, artisans and designers while further strengthening India’s position as a global leader in craftsmanship, innovation and value-added jewellery manufacturing.”The list of flag-off events at GJEPC office in Surat Diamond Bourse includes, studded gold jewellery of Shish Jewels, export manufacturing unit in Surat Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Plain studded jewellery by Gaurav Jewels, unit in Varachha, Plain gold jewellery by Roy Diamond unit in Sumul Dairy road, Parvati Jewels, unit in SEZ, ABNN fresh expo, a Prebiotic Soda drink unit in Sachin, ACO perfumes Perfumery compounds, unit in SEZ and Nysa industries, textile industry unit in SEZ, Surat.Gaurav Jewels’ owner Gaurav Limbani told The Indian Express, “This our first consignment after India-UK FTA. We are exporting our first consignment of plain gold and lab-grown diamond-studded jewellery worth around $39,000 to a jewellery firm owned by Jayant Raninga, in East London. Earlier, the import duty on jewellery items in the UK was 4 per cent, and we were having zero export duty, so now the buyers in London will buy more goods from us. We are expecting business to double at the initial stage, and later we are expecting our business to grow fourfold in the coming years as we will get more and more buyers. We are exporting diamond studded jewellery products in the UK and Canada.”Story continues below this adRahulbhai Kheni of Parvati jewels said, “We are exporting platinum and gold natural diamond studded jewellery worth around £9,500 (UK Pounds) to a jewellery firm at Hatton Garden in Central London. We are also hoping for good business with our partner firms. We have been doing business with different firms in the UK since the past five years but after this agreement, we are hoping we will double our exports to the UK in the coming years.”Roy Diamond firm owner Akash Roy said, “We are exporting gold jewellery studded with lab-grown diamonds worth around $3,000 to a jewellery firm in Birmingham. This FTA between India and the UK will definitely benefit our business and most importantly it will give more business to India and Surat especially. We are expecting many more diamond players to come forward and explore gems and jewellery business in the UK.”The GJEPC’s Gujarat region chairman, Jayantibhai N Savaliya, said “Surat has earned global recognition as the world’s diamond capital and a leading centre for jewellery manufacturing, innovation and exports. We are confident that Surat’s dynamic ecosystem of manufacturers, exporters, artisans and entrepreneurs will play a pivotal role in accelerating India’s gem and jewellery exports to the UK.”He added, “The flagging off of the first consignment underscores Surat’s continued leadership in India’s gem and jewellery exports and reflects the confidence of the industry’s exporters in the opportunities created by the India–UK CETA. As Indian jewellery enters the UK market with zero-duty access for the first time, Surat’s manufacturers, exporters and artisans are poised to play a pivotal role in strengthening India’s global jewellery exports.”