India moves to protect natural diamonds; government mandate issue

The Indian jewellery industry has successfully lobbied for the introduction of a national standard governing diamond terminology. 

The term ‘diamond’ is now reserved exclusively for natural diamonds and requires explicit disclosure for laboratory-grown stones.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) - a national standards body falling under the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs - has released IS 19469:2025, which establishes a standardised framework for diamond nomenclature across India.

The standard is designed to protect consumers and addresses inconsistent and ambiguous descriptions, particularly on digital and e-commerce platforms.

"Clear, consistent terminology is essential to maintaining trust."
Richa Singh, Natural Diamond Council (NDC)

Under the new rules, the term ‘diamond’ when used alone refers solely to natural diamonds.

Accompanying descriptors such as ‘natural’, ‘real’, ‘genuine’, or ‘precious’ are permitted, while terms including ‘mined diamond’ and ‘earth-mined diamond’ are prohibited.

Laboratory-grown diamonds must be clearly and immediately disclosed, using only the terms ‘laboratory-grown diamond’ or ‘laboratory-created diamond’.

The standard goes further and explicitly prohibits descriptors implying equivalence with natural diamonds.

Terms such as ‘nature’s’, 'earth-friendly’, ‘conflict-free’, ‘pure’, or ‘cultured’ are banned.

The term ‘synthetic diamond’ is permitted in commercial or import/export documentation when legally required.

Background reading: Truth behind lab-created factory-created diamonds

The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) endorsed the standard, with managing director Richa Singh emphasising its significance in enhancing consumer protection and transparency.

“Clear, consistent terminology is essential to maintaining trust,” Singh said.

“By eliminating ambiguity and mandating full disclosure, these standards protect industry integrity and ensure consumers can confidently distinguish between a natural diamond and a laboratory-grown diamond.”

The NDC will collaborate with BIS, Indian authorities, trade bodies, and industry stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of the standard.

The adoption of IS 19469:2025 addresses concerns raised in prior industry discussions, where diamond nomenclature and disclosure standards were central topics of Jeweller's recent edition of The Great Diamond Debate.