NGJA chairman Dr. S. P. Chaminda told the June 2026 media briefing that the authority is coordinating with Sri Lankan diplomatic missions and international buyers to expand market access for Ceylon gems.
He highlighted environmentally sustainable small-scale mining and gemstone heritage as positioning angles that differentiate Sri Lanka from pure processing hubs. The pitch is origin plus ethics plus cutting skill, not only cheap labour.
Chaminda also acknowledged ongoing administrative bottlenecks and the need to formalize trade if the billion-dollar target is realistic. Diplomatic promotion without faster licensing and stable import tax would under-deliver.
For diaspora and foreign buyers, embassy-backed trade events can be a trust signal when choosing a new supplier. They do not replace due diligence on treatment disclosure and laboratory papers on each stone.