India's exports of cut and polished diamonds rose 57.63% from April 2010 to October 2010, the country's Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) reports.

According to GJEPC data, India exports $14.8 billion in the six-month period, compared to $9.8 billion in the corresponding period of 2009.

The country's imports of cut and polished diamonds stood at approximately $9.5 billion, a huge increase from the $5.9 billion worth of cut and polished diamonds imported from April-October 2009.

Surat has also begun importing rough diamonds. Rough imports for April-October 2010 totaled $6.2 billion, with $797 million imported in October 2010 alone.

GJEPC Regional Chairman Chandrakant Sanghavi told the Times of India that the demand for India's polished diamonds was high in the US and increasing in China, Hong Kong, and Latin America.