Diwali Story in Surat: Diamonds are shining again, textiles still faded

Diamond cutters and polishers in Surat will have a shorter-than-usual Diwali break this year. But those engaged in the city’s other mega trade, textiles, will stay away from work for longer than usual. Blame the up and down in the two industries on the vicissitudes of two global wars and President Donald Trump’s tariffs policy.

The time for which their workers will be away can be seen as a proxy for how well – or badly – Surat’s diamonds and textiles trades are doing currently. On November 5, the day before Dhanteras, manufacturing units in the historic Hira Bazaar, through which more than 90% of the world’s uncut diamonds pass, went on vacation for 15 days.

Their annual holiday usually lasts 25 days, but the workers are coming back sooner because the gems-and-jewellery market, battered over the past several years by a range of factors including the war in Ukraine and the tariffs imposed by the United States, has begun to pick up at last.