Niranjan Jajmera, Mayor of Surat and Mahendra Katargamwala, President, South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) president, have extended a formal invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to visit the diamond city during his India tour in December 2014, says a report.

The formal invites have been sent to Alexander Kadakin, Russian Ambassador to India in New Delhi, requesting him to put the diamond industry’s wish before Putin. According to official sources, Putin is expected to visit India to participate in the World Diamond Conference – supported by the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry and organized by the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) along with World Diamond Mark Foundation – in Delhi on December 11-12.

The report further adds that Surat is a global hub of diamond cutting and polishing, as out of ten polished diamonds found in the world eight are cut and polished in the city. Moreover, many diamond merchants from the city have registered themselves in the World Diamond Conference to be held in New Delhi.