MUMBAI—Addressing a group of U.S. retailers at the first invitational Indo-US Jewelry—Business Development Conference, Jairam Ramesh, the minister of state for commerce, said that Indian jewelry manufacturers have the “will and commitment” to meet global standards of excellence.

The minister, speaking at the meeting organized by the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, said that the government is working on areas like infrastructure and tariff barriers to encourage Indo-US trade.

The three-day conference, which ended Wednesday, was created to forge strategic alliances between the U.S retailers and Indian manufacturers. Nine U.S. retail companies—including Ben Bridge, Carlyle, Samuels, IJO, and Maui Divers of Hawaii—attended the conference. The Indian side of the group included large jewelry manufacturing companies such as Fine Jewellery, KP Sanghvi and Sons, Kama Schachter, Prism, Shrenuj, Suashish and Mohit Diamonds.
 
The conference schedule was divided between retailer-manufacturer boardroom sessions and group seminars over a two day period. Sanjay Kothari, chairman, GJEPC inaugurated the conference and Hemant Shan, Convener, PM & BD with Rick Bannerot, the acclaimed marketing consultant moderated the proceeding seminars and panel discussions.

The retailers spent the third day visiting factory sites located within the city’s export processing zone.

JCK