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TRADE · DIAMONDS · TEXTILESDiamond & Textiles
Surat cuts and polishes some 90% of the world’s diamonds and weaves millions of metres of cloth — twin trades that make it one of India’s greatest engines of enterprise.
The world’s diamond and textile city
Surat runs on two great trades. It is the diamond-cutting-and-polishing capital of the world — roughly nine in ten of the planet’s diamonds pass through its workshops to be cut and given their shine. It is also one of India’s largest hubs for man-made textiles and sarees, its power looms turning out cloth by the millions of metres. Together the diamond and textile industries employ vast numbers, draw workers from across India, and give the city its famous reputation for hustle and enterprise.
Twin trades that built a city
Surat was a great trade city centuries before the modern boom — India's richest port in the 1600s.
Power looms multiplied through the twentieth century until the city wove synthetic cloth by the mile.
Diamond polishing rose alongside, family workshop by family workshop.
Today Surat is a global hub twice over — diamonds and textiles both.
Why come
Diamond capital
Roughly nine of every ten diamonds on earth are polished in Surat.
90% polished
The cutting and polishing happen here, in thousands of units across the city.
Textile giant
The looms produce synthetic sarees and cloth at a scale hard to picture.
Saree markets
The wholesale markets move colour and cloth across all of India.
Power looms
The city hums with it — Surat's pace is its trades made audible.
Enterprise
It is a working city first, and its energy is the attraction.
What to see
THE GEMDiamonds
Cut and polished for the world.
THE CLOTHTextiles
Synthetic cloth woven by the mile.
How to experience it
See the trade
See the diamond bourse district — the world's biggest exchange complex stands here.
Browse the markets
Walk a wholesale saree market and watch India's cloth trade at speed.
Learn the craft
Understand the cut-and-polish trade that employs lakhs.
Feel the pace
Take Surat as a working city; that is its character and charm.
Shop for cloth
Browse the textile markets even without buying; the scale is the sight.
Taste Surti food
Eat well — Surti food famously fuels the trades.
A culture of enterprise
Surat’s identity is inseparable from its trades. The diamond industry grew from small family workshops into a global powerhouse, while textiles built on centuries of the city’s history as a port and weaving centre. The result is a restless, entrepreneurial spirit: Surtis are famous across Gujarat for their business sense and their appetite for good food and good living, earned from long days in the workshops and markets.
Our Surat travel guide maps out the other places worth your time here.
Timing
November to February is the most comfortable time to explore the city.
The trades run year-round; the city never pauses.
The monsoon is humid but Surat works straight through it.
⏰ The trades run year-round; the cooler months from November to February are the most comfortable time to visit the city.
Getting there
By Air
Surat airport.
By Rail
Surat junction.
By Road
NH48 corridor.
More in Surat
14 JAN
Kite Festival
Uttarayan skies Explore →
SHARAD PURNIMA
Chandni Padva
Surat devours tonnes of ghari on this glittering moonlit night. Explore →
HISTORY
Dandi March Legacy
In 1930, Gandhi’s Salt March passed through Surat district on its long walk to the coast at Dandi, where the salt law was broken — a turning point of the freedom struggle the district still preserves. Explore →
What to eat
LOCHOSurti Locho
A city classic.
GHARIGhari
The Surti sweet.
UNDHIYUUndhiyu
Winter favourite.
CHAASChaas
Spiced buttermilk.
Diamond & Textiles FAQ
Why is Surat famous for diamonds?
It is the world's diamond cutting and polishing capital — roughly ninety per cent of the world's diamonds pass through Surat's workshops.
What about textiles?
Surat is one of India's largest hubs for man-made textiles and sarees, with vast power-loom capacity and wholesale markets that supply the whole country.
How big are the industries?
Together the two trades employ enormous numbers, draw workers from across India, and power one of the fastest-growing city economies anywhere.
Can visitors see the trade?
The diamond bourse complex, the wholesale textile and saree markets, and the city's restless pace all show the trades at work.
Why is Surat called enterprising?
The trades built Surat's famously business-minded, food-loving culture — the Surti saying is that the city eats well because it works hard.
When should I visit?
The trades run all year; the cooler winter months are the most comfortable for exploring the markets on foot.
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Published 24 June 2026 · Updated 3 July 2026