Indian polished diamond exports slipped 7.3 percent on the year in January to US$1.69 billion, according to provisional figures from the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC). Exports of polished diamond for the April-January period plunged 33 percent on the year to US$13.24 billion.

Exports of rough diamonds rose 13.1 percent to US$173.4 million in January, but for the April-January period fell by 15.8 percent to US$1.21 billion.

India's polished diamond imports plummeted 39 percent to US$597.7 million in January, and for April-January plunged 69.4 percent to US$3.98 billion.

Meanwhile, rough imports fell 11.1 percent to US$986.4 million last month, and edged down 1.5 percent to US$12.16 billion in April-January.