GJEPC Hosts Exporter-GCC Designers Workshop at SEEPZ
Bengaluru, 21st July 2025: The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), India's apex body for the gem and jewellery trade, hosted a landmark Exporter and GCC Designers' Workshop on 17th July at the Bharat Ratnam Mega Common Facility Centre (CFC), SEEPZ, Mumbai. This key initiative marks a significant step in the run-up to SAJEX 2025 (Saudi Arabia Jewellery Exposition)—GJEPC's debut B2B show in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, taking place from 11th to 13th September 2025 at the Jeddah Superdome.
The workshop was inaugurated by Mr. Milan Chokshi, Chairman, Indian Institute of Gems & Jewellery (IIGJ) Mumbai, and Mr. Sabyasachi Ray, Executive Director, GJEPC, in the presence of prominent designers and stakeholders. Special guests included Ms. Mahima Varma and Mr. Tarun Jain, Founders of World Academy of Design (Dubai), who partnered with GJEPC to bring six leading designers from the GCC region to collaborate with Indian manufacturers.
The participating designers — Nadiyah Ghurmullah Alghamdi, Nouf Abdulaziz Sehli, Haifa Khaled Saeed Gathnan Alhadhrami, Fahima Saif Rashed Bakhit Alfalasi, Abeer Hussein Othman Yahya, and Fatimah Mohammed A Alsofi — traveled to Mumbai for an immersive workshop focused on Saudi and GCC market jewellery trends. These designers exchanged creative ideas and regional insights with a curated group of Indian exporters.
In his keynote, Mr. Sabyasachi Ray emphasized the workshop's strategic role in expanding India's presence in the Saudi market, projected to grow from USD 4.5 billion to USD 8.5 billion by 2030. He stated, 'This initiative aligns with SAJEX's vision of becoming a world jewellery platform, allowing Indian manufacturing excellence to meet evolving GCC style sensibilities.'
Mr. Milan Chokshi highlighted the evolution of Indian jewellery design, noting the industry's shift from catalogue-based replication to globally relevant, heritage-infused innovation. He encouraged GCC designers to tap into their own cultural identities to create cross-border appeal.
Mr. Tarun Jain underlined the workshop's broader objective of building a strong communication channel between Indian manufacturers and Gulf market designers, ensuring product-market alignment.
Ms. Mahima Verma provided an insightful analysis of consumer preferences across the GCC, helping exporters better tailor their offerings to the region's affluent, youthful, and globally aware demographic.
This design-focused initiative is part of GJEPC's larger strategy to build deeper commercial and cultural ties with the Gulf, ahead of the Council's highly anticipated entry into the Saudi market with SAJEX 2025. The workshop serves as a creative incubator, promoting original designs, regional resonance, and global appeal, paving the way for long-term partnerships and meaningful market engagement.
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