New Delhi, Nov. 1 -- Indian gem and jewellery, textile and marine exporters have successfully diversified into new markets across Asia, Europe and Latin America, offsetting the impact of punitive US tariffs that have dampened demand from their traditional largest buyer, trade data shows. Despite a sharp 17.46% fall in gem and jewellery exports to the US-dropping to $5.73 billion in January-September 2025 from $6.94 billion in the same period the previous year-India's overall gem and jewellery exports grew 1.24% to cross $22.73 billion, according to a granular analysis of government data. The losses were largely compensated by surging demand from the UAE under the India-UAE free trade agreement, alongside dramatic growth in emerging luxury and investment-driven markets such as Mexico (693%), China (96%) and South Korea (134%). Similarly, textile exports recorded a growth of 1.23%, crossing $28 billion despite US textile demand rising by a marginal 0.2%. Marine product exports posted the strongest performance overall, jumping 15.6% year-on-year to $4.83 billion, with individual markets showing even sharper gains-Vietnam's marine exports surged over 100%, while Belgium and Thailand also recorded substantial increases. The diversification comes as India faces 50% tariffs on exports to the US, which took effect in August. While some frontloading of shipments before the tariff deadline may have occurred, the sustained growth across alternative markets reflects a strategic supply-chain realignment rather than a temporary adjustment, officials and experts said. "The UAE remained the largest destination on the strength of the India-UAE CEPA partnership and Dubai's role as a key re-export and trading hub," a government official said, requesting anonymity. Strong gains in the gem and jewellery sector were also recorded in Saudi Arabia (68% growth) and Canada (41%), he added. For textiles, growth was led by the UAE, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Egypt, with Indian exporters also venturing into emerging markets such as Peru and Nigeria. "France, the UK and Japan posted steady modest increases, reflecting continued resilience in developed markets despite global headwinds," the official said. In marine products, despite high US tariffs, America remained the top destination with exports of $1.44 billion, registering marginal 2.6% year-on-year growth. But Vietnam emerged as a breakout market with marine exports surging over 100% to $351 million in January-September. "This reflects a growing diversification of India's seafood trade footprint within Asia and Europe," the official said, noting substantial increases in marine exports to China, Malaysia and Japan. The textile sector's stability is being supported by production-linked incentive schemes, free trade agreements and supply chain integration with Europe and West Asia. "India's textile sector is positioning itself for sustained, diversified growth built on competitiveness, quality and innovation," the official added. Abhishek A Rastogi, founder of Rastogi Chambers, a consultancy and law firm, said the tariffs forced exporters to explore untapped opportunities. "It is true for India and its exporters-when the going gets tough, the tough get going. After easy access to the US market hit the tariff barrier, they discovered additional opportunities in existing markets and found new buyers in hitherto unventured territories. Our exporters rose to the occasion," he said. Ajay Sahai, director general and CEO of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, described the trend as reflecting supply-chain realignment but cautioned against premature optimism. "While this growth suggests some diversification beyond traditional markets like the US, it is still too early to view it as a structural shift," he said. "Sustained export diversification will require deepening our presence in emerging Asian, African and Latin American markets, whilst simultaneously consolidating our high-value trade with the US and EU," Sahai added. "The trend, however, clearly points to India's expanding export resilience and adaptability."...