Ukraine-Russia War: Diamond worker suicides rise as Surat struggles under western sanctions

Five months after her brother Shailesh’s death, Dhabi Bhavuben, 35, is still grappling with the tragic loss. Shailesh, a soft-spoken diamond polisher, worked tirelessly at his small bench in Surat to support his wife and two young children. But mounting financial pressure became too much to bear, as per a report by Nikkei Asia.

Surat, known globally for its diamond trade, processes nearly 80% of the world’s diamonds. For years, the industry provided stable livelihoods for thousands of workers. However, the situation took a sharp turn after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the report added.

Livemint could not independently verify this news development.

G7 sanctions

In response to the war, the European Union and the G7 imposed sanctions on Russian diamonds, including those shipped through third countries, cutting off a key supply to India’s diamond industry. The ban, which took effect in March 2022, dealt a severe blow to Surat’s diamond sector, leaving thousands of workers without jobs.

The loss was immediate and profound. With exports to the West shrinking, businesses in Surat struggled to stay afloat. Export orders dried up, wages plummeted, and once-busy factories became eerily silent.

Shailesh was one of many hit hard by the downturn. His income dropped drastically, and he began to feel overwhelmed. “He kept saying his work wasn’t going well, and he couldn’t support his family,” Dhabi told Nikkei Asia. “He was constantly worried about how to feed his children.”

On the day of his death, Shailesh had lunch with his wife and stayed home while she left for work. Hours later, he took his own life. He was just 32 years old. “He didn’t tell anyone what he was planning. We never thought he would do this,” Dhabi said.

Shailesh’s story is not unique. Over the past 17 months, at least 63 diamond workers in Surat have died by suicide, according to local reports. The suicides are directly linked to the industry’s collapse following the Western sanctions on Russian diamonds, casting a shadow over a trade once synonymous with prosperity.