(IDEX Online) - Alrosa is considering a request to supply rough diamonds direct to factories in India.The move was proposed last Friday by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) as it hosted its first high-level international delegation since the pandemic.Colin Shah, GJEPC chairman said afterwards: "The direct sourcing of rough diamonds would help our micro, small and medium enterprises in a big way."His team put forward detailed recommendations for Alrosa to offer its goods direct to manufacturers through the newly-established auction platform Surat International DiaTrade Center (SIDC).Evgeny Agureev, Alrosa's deputy CEO, did not address the request directly in a statement issued after the meeting.He said: "I'm certain that today's discussions will further strengthen Indo-Russian cooperation in diamonds and benefit the natural diamond pipeline at large."He also said Alrosa would continue to focus on natural diamonds, and had no intention of entering the lab-grown segment. Pic shows Evgeny Agureev, Alrosa's deputy CEO, and Colin Shah, GJEPC chairman.