The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) commences the new year with a significant initiative to add another layer of trust and credibility to “Make in India” products, sold across the world! In a strategic initiative, GJEPC-Gem Testing Laboratory (GTL), Jaipur, and global e-commerce company eBay signed a one-of-its-kind agreement for a certification program for eBay sellers. Under the agreement, GJEPC-GTL now offers certification services to eBay sellers at a nominal fee, specially arranged under this agreement, without compromising on existing standards and protocols of testing. This will facilitate eBay sellers to obtain authentic reports from GTL Jaipur before their gemstones are delivered to their buyers.
The Gem Testing Laboratory (GTL), Jaipur, is one of the oldest laboratories in India established by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) in the year 1972, offers gemological services to both domestic and overseas clients. GTL Jaipur provides services related to gemstone certification along with research & development of techniques for the identification of new gem materials, synthetics, and treatments. eBay provides multinational e-commerce related services that facilitate consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its e-commerce platform.
Mr. Pramod Kumar Agrawal, Chairman, GJEPC, said, “Jaipur is globally renowned for gemstones and the GTL Jaipur-eBay arrangement will facilitate all types of gemstones to be certified including disclosure of presence/absence of treatments on gemstones as per existing criteria. This strategic initiative enhances consumer trust and credibility in the global markets and also helps to promote brand India internationally through credible certification. It will help the sellers on eBay to build customer confidence as well as assist in increasing sales of Indian handcrafted gemstones & allied jewelry in overseas markets. This is a significant step in taking Indian gemstone craftsmanship and designs to international markets in 2020. And we expect many more e-commerce platforms to sign similar agreements with GTL Jaipur.”
Mr. Vidmay Naini, Country Head, eBay, said “ eBay India is focused on creating online Retail Export opportunities for MSME and Artisans. We have more than 15000 MSME’s and Artisans exporting across 195 countries using eBay global marketplace platform. Indian Jewelry is one of the popular products across 180 million eBay global buyers, eBay India’s effort is to build trust and saliency for Indian Jewelry sellers to enhance their business. In this endeavor, we are partnering with GJEPC to enable eBay India Seller’s certify Gemstones sold on the eBay marketplace. The GTL certification ensures that global customers are assured of the best quality of gemstones that are Made in India. India gemstone sellers will definitely see an edge over other global sellers.”
At present, many sellers cannot afford to pay certification fees for low-value goods being commonly sold on e-commerce websites (such as eBay.com), and hence, such gemstones are sold without any report or with reports from ill-equipped laboratories or even with fake reports. Reduction in certification fees will encourage sellers to provide reports from a reputed lab even for low-value gemstones. This is a significant step as India’s gem & jewelry industry through GJEPC is working on popularising ‘Make in India’ products and Indian craftsmanship/ artisanship globally.
Shri Agarwal also said that GJEPC is making the Laboratory a world-class Laboratory by spending Rs.5.48 crores on the latest equipment under the TIES Scheme of Ministry of Commerce & Industry. Lab. It is being set up in new and larger premises at Sitapura.
The Regional Chairman of GJEPC Shri Nirmal Kumar Bardiya gave the welcome address. He said that Jaipur is known for its Coloured Gemstones and their Jewellery. This step of GJEPC and eBay will prove a milestone in the export sector.
At the end of the signing ceremony, the Convener of the Laboratory Shri Vijay Kumar Chordia thanked all present on this occasion.
