Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB), an impressive complex consisting of nine 15-story towers, can now claim the title of the world’s largest office building. According to IDEX Online, with floor space of over 7.1 million square feet, SDB surpasses even the Pentagon, which has just over 6.6 million square feet.
Constructed at a cost of $388 million, the inauguration of SDB is scheduled for December or January, officiated by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The first businesses are set to move into the bourse, located in south Surat, in November.
In an interview with CNN, Mahesh Gadhavi, the CEO of the project, said that the building’s size was influenced by the demand from cutters, polishers, and traders. He also said that no office is more than a seven-minute walk from the main entrance.
In other India-related news, new figures from GJEPC (Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council), quoted by IDEX Online, shows that India’s gross exports of polished diamonds fell again in June – down 31.5% year-on-year to $1.382 billion. From April to June, polished exports fell 29.3% to $4.426 billion.
