The perennial global clash between the world's two largest diamond mining companies "" De Beers of South Africa and the Australian consortium led by CRA-RTZ Exploration "" has spilled over to Madhya Pradesh.
At stake is not just control over six diamond mines opened up to the private sector for exploration by MP, but a crucial lead when states like Orissa and Karnataka take the cue from MP.
Understandably, both De Beers and CRA-RTZ are going all out to gain the cutting edge. De Beers has formed a 50:50 joint venture with Reliance Industries, while CRA-RTZ has roped in ACC for a similar partnership.