IIJS Premiere 2025 opened with grandeur at the Jio World Convention Center on 30th July, marking the beginning of one of the world’s largest B2B gem and jewellery exhibitions. Spanning five days across two venues—Jio World Convention Center and Bombay Convention and Exhibition Center (NESCO)—this year’s edition surpassed all expectations with 2,200+ exhibitors and a footfall of over 80,000 trade visitors. Exhibitors praised the show for its impeccable coordination, elevated booth designs, and unmatched visitor engagement.
The inauguration ceremony at the Jio World Convention Center featured Shri Rahul Narwekar, Hon’ble Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, as Chief Guest. Acknowledging his personal connection to Mumbai’s iconic Zaveri Bazaar, Shri Narwekar pledged full support for establishing a world-class convention center in Mumbai to match the city’s status as India’s financial capital. He also emphasized the jewellery industry’s critical role in foreign exchange generation, citing an impressive 11% YoY growth.
Guests of Honour included Mr. Ajoy Chawla, CEO - Jewellery Division, Titan Company Ltd., who highlighted Titan’s impact on reshaping consumer jewellery buying behavior, and Mr. Pavel Marinychev, CEO of Alrosa, who reinforced the company’s commitment to India as a strategic partner in the global diamond trade, applauding India’s KP leadership and growing prominence in the sector.
Day 1 also celebrated excellence with an Awards Ceremony honouring Association Heads from Maharashtra, followed by a glamorous IIJS Legend Awards Night, where Mr. C.K. Venkataraman was crowned Legend of Legends and Sonu Nigam delivered a mesmerizing performance.
The second inauguration at NESCO on 31st July featured Shri Prabhat Kumar Lodha and Mr. Abdul Salam as Chief Guests. Mr. Salam reflected on India’s millennia-old leadership in gems and jewellery, stressing the need to create global jewellery brands beyond manufacturing. Shri Lodha encouraged Indian entrepreneurs to leverage the country’s growth story and aim for global expansion.
Day 2 also saw the launch of the IGJME section, inaugurated by Mr. Davide Zerbini, MD at Morellato & Sector Ltd. The IGJME pavilion doubled in size this year, with the newly introduced Silver Pavilion recording a 50% increase in participation. The evening featured Jewellers for Hope, a fundraising gala for community initiatives, graced by Mr. Anil Kapoor as Guest of Honour.
Other key highlights of IIJS Premiere 2025 included the HRD Antwerp x Bharat Ratnam CFC collaboration, aiming to enhance technology, education, and manufacturing in India; the InnovNXT 40 Under 40 Awards celebrating rising entrepreneurs; and the prestigious IIJS Design Awards, where Goldi’s took top honours. Initiatives like JewelStart—supporting start-ups—and JewelPages, a resource integration platform akin to Yellow Pages for the industry, were also launched.
In a major development, IIJS was rebranded as “IIJS Bharat,” symbolizing the unified positioning of IIJS Premiere, Tritiya, and Signature editions under one national identity.
With each edition, IIJS is moving closer to becoming the world’s largest B2B gem and jewellery show, playing a pivotal role in establishing India as the global epicenter of jewellery trade.
