(IDEX Online) - India's biggest show for the jewelry trade is to take place as a virtual event in October.The flagship India International Jewelry Show (IIJS) Premiere, which typically attracts 40,000 visitors and over 1,300 exhibitors, should have taken place in August but was axed because of the pandemic.Organizers GJEPC today said they were expecting 500 exhibitors and 10,000 buyers at IIJS Virtual, its digital replacement. Entry to the five-day event will be free for visitors, who will be able to add products to their wish list and arrange meetings with exhibitors.Vipul Shah, vice chairman of GJEPC, said: "This year, the pandemic has forced us to put our plans on hold for the physical show. But, out of every adversity emerges an opportunity, and we are now gearing to conduct the IIJS Virtual show to help connect buyers and sellers."The show will have five dedicated halls, for gold jewelry; diamond/color stone jewelry; couture/bridal jewelry; loose diamonds/color stones/pearls; and silver/costume fashion jewelry.Pic shows an IIJS event in 2019