Ahmedabad, Aug. 12 -- The Indian diamond cutting and polishing industry is facing a severe blow after US tariffs surged from 10 percent in April to 50 percent in August, leading to the loss of nearly 100,000 jobs in Gujarat's Saurashtra region.

Gujarat Diamond Workers Union vice-president Bhavesh Tank said job losses spiked sharply over the past 10 days as duties first climbed to 25 percent and then doubled.

Most layoffs occurred in small units across Bhavnagar, Amreli, and Junagadh after American buyers postponed or cancelled orders, according to an ET report.

Industry cautious, but fears grow over lab-grown diamonds

Larger diamond firms are hesitant to publicly discuss the fallout, fearing backlash from stakeholders.

Some displaced...