Rio Tinto seeks support from Indian government and GJEPC for success of Bunder Project

SURAT : Jean Marc Lieberherr, head of the diamond business at Rio Tinto group has called upon the diamond industry stakeholders in India to work together for the betterment and don't let politics hijack the industry.
Addressing the who's who from the global diamond industry at the first World Diamond Conference (WDC) hosted by Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) at Delhi, Jean Marc Lieberherr said, "Rio Tinto group has spent close to $90 million in the last 10 years on the Bunder diamond mine project and we are still at the feasibility stage.During this course, we have learnt to work with Indian administrative system and still learning"
Rio Tinto had first discovered diamonds at Bunder in Chattrapur district in Madhya Pradesh in 2004 and decided to construct a world-class diamond mine. Since then, the company has spent close to $90 million for the exploration of diamonds.
Marc added, "The Indian industry stands fragmented and polarised and there is a lack of dialogue. The industry is being hijacked by politics, miscommunication and preconceptions. Let's not politics hijack us and work together for the betterment of the industry, or else it is going to die a slow death"
Reiterating his confidence in the new industry friendly political regime in India, Marc said, "We put a lot of hope in the Modi government and GJEPC to help us bring the diamonds mined from the world class Bunder mine in the market. It is going to be a story of successful partnership and collaboration with the cutting and polishing centre in India. It is going to bring billions of dollars of economic benefits for the state, district, industry and the nation as a whole"
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