(IDEX Online) - India exported $1.8bn of polished diamonds in January, up 9.4 per cent year-on-year.The recent surge comes after foreign sales fell overall throughout most of 2020. Provisional export figures for April 2020 to January 2021 were down 23 per cent on the same period a year earlier, according to newly-released figures from the GJEPC (Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council).Gold jewelry exports fared worse, down 43 per cent in January and 65 per cent for the corresponding nine-month period.Polished lab-growns, still a tiny proportion of the diamond sector overall, were up 64 per cent for January ($72m) and 57 per cent for the nine months ($559m).Gross exports of all gems and jewelry in January dropped eight per cent to $2.67bn and 37 per cent for the nine-month period to $19.2bn.Generic pic shows diamond polishing in India