NEW DELHI, India – The inaugural edition of The JCK Show ~ New Delhi opened Thursday morning at the Pragati Maidan New Delhi exhibition center. Dignitaries from both the Indian jewelry industry and Reed Exhibitions lit the inaugural lamp and addressed a gathering of more than 50 members of the local media and other VIPs.

Speaking at the function were Mike Allsopp, chief operating officer of Reed Exhibitions in India, show organizers; Dave Bonaparte, vice president of the JCK Shows in the United States; Tim Porter, Reed Exhibitions’ business development director in India; Jalaj Srivastava of the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation; and Samjay Kothari of the Gems & Jewellery Export Promotion Council.

Kothari said, “Indian jewelry exports are booming, at $17 billion [per year] and exhibitions like this help provide a necessary impetus to the industry.”

Srivastava added that the Delhi jewelry market, though huge, is still very unstructured and accounts for only 7 percent of the total market share in India. He hopes this show will help boost the jewelry industry in Delhi.

Bonaparte thanked the GJEPC for its strong support and sponsorship of the show, and acknowledged the local Reed team that put the show together.

The show, targeted to the domestic Indian market, occupies 3500 square meters, and has more than 150 exhibitors, 40 percent of which are international and 60% of which are domestic.

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