The Zimbabwe delegation to India's Mines to Market conference, an international diamond industry event, has drawn a good deal of attention for two reasons: a proposed deal to trade rough diamonds in exchange for diamond processing training, and Zimbabwe Mines Minister Obert Mpofu's remarks about "double standards" from the West.

Under the proposed memorandum of understanding, India's newly-formed Surat Rough Diamond Sourcing India Ltd (SRDSIL) diamond company will agree to train Zimbabweans in the art of diamond cutting and polishing in exchange for a regular supply of rough diamonds from Zimbabwe.

Ashit Mehta – Chairman of SRDSIL, which is using the Mines to Market conference as a platform for its diamond trade debut – stressed the importance of Zimbabwe as a rough diamond supplier. The Times of India quoted Mehta saying that SRDSIL intended to have "a long-term contract" with Zimbabwe's government, possibly making SRDSIL the world's No. 1 importer of rough diamonds from Zimbabwe.

Mehta said that Zimbabwe's stock of diamonds was worth $2 billion and that production from the country's Marange diamond fields was expected to reach 40 million carats within two years.

A SRDSIL delegation is scheduled to visit Zimbabwe on October 21.

Meanwhile, Mpofu – who is leading Zimbabwe's ministerial delegation to the conference – denigrated what he called a double standard by Western nations and urged them to stop spreading what he called "lies" about Zimbabwe when they were the main beneficiaries of Zimbabwe's mineral wealth.

Allafrica.com quoted Mpofu saying that nations who preached democracy and human rights should lead by example. "Denying us the right to sell our own diamonds for the benefit of our people is a violation of our own human rights," the minister declared. The news website reported that Mpofu's remarks met with warm applause.

According to Mpofu, Zimbabwe had met and was maintaining all the standards set by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. He said his country had nothing to fear from participating at November's Kimberley Process conference. "We will triumph in Israel because all our things are in order and the industry must stand up against politicization of the KP," he said.

Mpofu said he extended an invitation to "the Americans, the British, the Australians, and the Canadians to come and enjoy the investment opportunities available in Zimbabwe's mining sector."