KIRA Lab-Grown Diamonds Bags IGJA Award for Creating 10,500 Jobs in Surat

SURAT : Once feared as a technology that could shrink employment in the diamond trade, laboratory-grown diamonds are now emerging as a major job creator in Surat. KIRA has received the India Gem & Jewellery Awards (IGJA) for the highest employment on company rolls, with its workforce crossing 10,500 employees within about four years of its reactors becoming operational.

KIRA said its experience challenges concerns that laboratory-grown diamonds would require fewer workers than mined diamonds. While growing takes place in reactors, each stone still requires planning, sawing, cutting, polishing, grading, certification, jewellery manufacturing and shipping.

“Growing is only the first stage of manufacturing. Every stone still has to be planned, sawn, cut, polished, graded, certified, set and shipped,” the company said.

KIRA’s workforce has grown from around 2,000 to more than 10,500 employees, with workers recruited largely from Surat and surrounding districts. The company said grading, sorting, certification and jewellery setting are among its fastest-growing functions, creating formal employment opportunities for women.

The development comes as the Centre is also placing greater emphasis on building India’s complete lab-grown diamond ecosystem. Addressing the 52nd India Gems & Jewellery Awards in Mumbai, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “India has the necessary infrastructure, skills, capital and capable entrepreneurs.” He further called for the “entire ecosystem and the complete manufacturing value chain for lab-grown diamonds” to be in Indian hands.

Shah said the opportunity extends from manufacturing diamond-growing machines and producing laboratory-grown diamonds to jewellery manufacturing, Indian brands and global showrooms. He also said the government would introduce appropriate policies to support the sector.

KIRA’s operations cover several stages of this value chain in Surat, including CVD diamond growing, cutting, polishing, grading and jewellery manufacturing. The company also operates a 100 MW captive solar facility and serves markets across more than 75 countries.

The company said most of its technical workforce was trained on-site because CVD diamond growing and reactor maintenance are relatively new specialised trades in India.

The IGJA recognition therefore highlights not just the expansion of laboratory-grown diamond production, but the employment ecosystem developing around it in Surat.