Bollywood on Board to Promote Indian Jewelry Exports
June 15, 06 by IDEX Online Staff Reporter
Bollywood star
Amitabh Bachchan |
Following the Hollywood trend for brand ambassadors, Indian jewelers are enlisting the help of Bollywood stars in the war to make India the largest jewelry exporter in the world.
Their names may not be familiar outside of India, but jewelers are hoping that celebrities such as former Miss World Aishwarya Rai and the Bollywood movie star Amitabh Bachchan will be just the boost needed for the industry to overtake Italy and Belgium, the current leading jewelry export countries.
In fully year 2005 – 2006, Indian gold jewelry exports registered a growth of 1.28 percent with exports recorded at $3861.57 million, compared to $3812.88 million in full year 2004 2005.
According to a report in the International Herald Tribune, India plans to double jewelry exports in five years to $10 billion, using incentives such as low-tax export zones, reports G. Pillai, special secretary at the Commerce Ministry, who heads a team trying to increase the nation's share of the $90 billion export market.
