GJEPC representatives recently made a presentation on issues related to the G&J trade between India and ASEAN countries before a Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce, putting forward recommendations on tariffs and other related matters.
After giving an overview of the growth of the Indian industry and its contribution to the country’s export basket as well as a snapshot of India’s trade in the sector with Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam, the GJEPC representatives put forward the industry viewpoint.
They stressed that India was supplying cut and polished diamonds to jewellery manufacturers in the region and hence during Indo-ASEAN CECA negotiations, granting of tariff concession should only be on Cut and Polished Diamonds (ITC HS Code – 710229, 710239) which will benefit the country in the long run.
Further, they pointed out that the proposed Value Addition under CECA should be reduced from 35% to 10% of the FOB value of the export of diamonds from India as these diamonds are used as a raw material in the manufacture of studded jewellery. GJEPC said that strict compliance of achieving the prescribed Value Addition should be ensured at the ports while any import is taking place.
The Council also emphasised that any tariff rebate on imports of plain and studded precious metal jewellery could be hazardous for the entire Indian jewellery segment as it could lead to flooding of precious metal plain jewellery from Indonesia and Malaysia. It recommended that the CVD on jewellery imports should not be brought down.
The Council was represented at the meeting by Dr. Jitarani Udgata and Sudhir Patil.
News Source : gjepc.org
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