A grand opening
The fair opened with an inauguration ceremony that reflected its scale and stature. In attendance were Praveen Khandelwal (Member of Lok Sabha), Naveen Kumar Jindal, Ramavtar Verma, Kamal Palwal, Antarpal Singh Sawhney (Regional Chairman, North, GJEPC), Gaurav Issar (Founder & MD, IDT Gemological Laboratories), Ujjwal Derewala (Chairman, Jaipur Silver Association), alongside senior leadership from Informa Markets, including Yogesh Mudras, Pallavi Mehra, and Pankaj Shende. Their presence underscored the fair’s position as a platform that blends policy, trade, and industry leadership.
In his keynote, Shri Praveen Khandelwal called DJGF a “benchmark event that not only celebrates jewellery design and innovation but also addresses industry concerns.” His comment on exploring a possible reduction in GST on jewellery from 3% to 1% drew sharp attention from the trade, signalling how industry aspirations and policy conversations often meet at this platform.
The show floor
The first day quickly set the tone. Packed aisles, buzzing booths, and displays ranging from traditional jadau, kundan, and polki to lightweight, contemporary, and sustainable designs — a reflection of how jewellers are adapting to shifting consumer tastes and rising gold prices. Beyond finished jewellery, there was a full spread: loose diamonds, gemstones, silver, chains, mounts, as well as CAD/CAM tech and high-precision machinery that connect the design table to the production floor.
Scale has always been DJGF’s calling card. This year’s 600+ exhibitors and 1,200 brands positioned the show not only as North India’s jewellery hub but also as a global-facing stage. Powered by the prestigious Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair and backed by Delhi’s key bullion and jewellers’ associations, the event carried an international flavour while staying grounded in the local market. The mix of heritage houses and new-age innovators reinforced DJGF’s dual identity: part cultural showcase, part serious B2B marketplace.
Exhibitor voices
For many, participation was about more than transactions — it was about sentiment, visibility, and timing.
Kulbhushan Sahtani of Jewels of Rajputana said their curated bridal range had struck a chord:
“With the bridal season around the corner, we designed collections that tie modern brides to cultural roots. Polki jewellery especially drew strong interest despite rising gold prices. The response has been tremendous.”
Ashwani Singla, Director at MK Exports, spoke of the resilience of the diamond market:
“This year’s show has been incredibly encouraging. Retailers are actively seeking high-quality, ethically sourced diamond jewellery. Lightweight, versatile pieces continue to be in demand. Agility is crucial in today’s diamond trade, but our commitment to natural diamonds and transparency keeps us ahead.”
Knowledge and thought leadership
If the floor was about deals, the seminar halls were about ideas. Under the theme “Celebrating Craftsmanship and Innovation”, Day 1 featured sessions on sustainability and responsible practices. Talks like “Love Diamond through Lab Diamond – How to Add Value” probed the ongoing natural vs. lab-grown debate, while upcoming panels such as “From Carats to Credibility: Building a Responsible Lab-Grown Diamond Industry” and “Decoding the Sales” promised to equip participants with practical insights on strategy, sourcing, and consumer trust.
Celebrating excellence
The fair also took time to recognise achievement. The prestigious RJGA Awards, presented by IDT Gemological Laboratories Worldwide, honoured industry contributions, while three fashion sequences saw top models bring festive jewellery collections to the runway. Equally noteworthy was the SHAKTI initiative, spotlighting women leaders driving the industry forward — a reminder that the fair is as much about inclusivity and progress as it is about commerce.
Market context
As Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director of Informa Markets in India, noted:
“Gems and jewellery remain India’s fifth-largest export category, worth nearly $30 billion annually. Amid global headwinds, DJGF empowers businesses to strengthen competitiveness and seize emerging opportunities.”
DJGF also forms part of Informa’s “Festivity of Business” campaign — a 100-day, 28-event run across India. For jewellers, that meant the show was both a sourcing stop for the festive quarter and a place to understand bigger shifts shaping the industry: sustainability, responsible sourcing, and digital transformation.
A platform for growth
Across its three days, DJGF 2025 reaffirmed why it’s seen as the cornerstone of North India’s jewellery calendar. With its blend of tradition and technology, commerce and creativity, the fair worked as a catalyst — for growth, collaboration, and trendsetting launches. For exhibitors, it was about visibility and deals; for buyers, about sourcing and networking; for the wider trade, it was about mapping the next chapter of India’s jewellery story.