The Surat Diamond Bourse is the symbol of new India's new strength and new resolve, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday during the inauguration ceremony of the world's largest workplace and the country's state-of-the-art centre for the trade of diamonds. During the address, PM Modi also said that the people of Surat have received two more gifts – a new terminal for Surat Airport and its international airport status.
The Prime Minister said that his government has devised a plan for the next 25 years in view of the development of India's economy.
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“Whether it is the aim for a 5-trillion-dollar economy or 10-trillion-dollar economy, the government has fixed the target for the next 25 years and we are working on it,” PM Modi said, adding that his government is also working towards pushing the country's export industry to a record high. He also reiterated his commitment to take India among the top three economies in the world in his “third term”.
He further said the establishment of the Surat Diamond Bourse is the result of “Modi's guarantee”. "Today Surat is among the top 10 developing cities of the world. Surat's street food, skill development work, everything is amazing... Surat was once known as 'Sun City'. But today the people here, with their hard work have made it ‘diamond city’," he said.
The Surat Diamond Bourse building, the world's largest office complex with more than 67 lakh square feet of floor area, is located at Khajod village near Surat city.
{{/usCountry}}The Surat Diamond Bourse building, the world's largest office complex with more than 67 lakh square feet of floor area, is located at Khajod village near Surat city.
{{/usCountry}}It will be a global centre for trading both rough and polished diamonds as well as jewellery, as per an official statement.
It will comprise a state-of-the-art 'Customs Clearance House' for import and export, a jewellery mall for retail jewellery business and a facility of international banking and safe vaults, it said.
Several diamond traders, including those based in Mumbai earlier, have already taken possession of their offices, which were allotted by the management after the auction, SDB's media convener Dinesh Navadiya said in a statement recently.
(With PTI inputs)