The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has issued new terminology guidelines for laboratory-grown diamonds, in response to an initiative by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
The new regulations aim to more clearly distinguish between synthetic stones and natural diamonds in order to prevent consumer deception, at a time when transparency and consumer confidence have become more critical than ever, the council said on Wednesday. The BIS rules are aligned with the standards followed by the GJEPC, which in turn are consistent with those of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Under the new standard, India has formally adopted the terms “laboratory-grown” and “laboratory-created,” while banning descriptions such as “fake” and “artificial,” which the GJEPC described as misleading or outdated. The rules also mandate full disclosure of any treatments and prohibit the use of abbreviations or shorthand labels such as “lab-grown,” “lab-created,” “lab diamond,” and “LGD,” to avoid consumer confusion.
Kirit Bhansali, Chairman of the GJEPC, said: “We thank the Bureau of Indian Standards for introducing this new standard aligned with the globally harmonized framework for diamonds. This standard will enhance consumer confidence and credibility in both the natural and laboratory-grown diamond segments. It is a major step forward in ensuring that India’s diamond trade continues to lead the world with integrity and transparency.”
The report noted that the Indian government had held a meeting in November 2024 to discuss consumer protection, amid the absence of unified sector-wide terminology and inadequate disclosure practices within the diamond industry.
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