A building in India’s diamond city of Surat has surpassed The Pentagon to become the world’s largest office.
Surat in Gujarat state is known as the world’s diamond capital, where 90 per cent of the precious stones are cut.
It will now house the world’s largest office building, the Surat Diamond Bourse, dedicated to the gemstone industry.
The 15-storey building has more than 7.1 million square feet of floor space, outdoing The Pentagon, the headquarters of the US defence department in Arlington Co, Virginia, which has 6.5 million sq ft.
It is 81.9 metres tall and cost 32 billion rupees ($38 million) to build.
The Diamond Bourse was designed by Delhi-based Morphogenesis and is based on the concept of Panchtatva, the five elements of nature – water, fire, air, earth and sky.
“It is the world’s largest building,” Sonali Rastogi, co-founder of Morphogenesis, told The National. "It houses different sizes of offices but are all meant for diamond merchants.
"There are 300 sq ft to 25,000 sq ft offices. It has been built for the diamond merchant community."
The building has a unique design of nine interconnected rectangular structures emanating from a central spine.
It can house more than 4,700 diamond offices and 65,000 industry professionals, including cutters, polishers and traders, the architects said.
The building offers dining, retail, wellness and conference services and has marble floors and light-filled atriums connecting all office space.
There are courtyards with seating and water features.
Ms Rastogi said no office takes longer than seven minutes to reach from any of the building’s entry gates.
Construction started in 2019 although not with the intention of creating the world’s largest office building, she said.
“It was a global, two-stage competition that was floated by the committee of the Surat Diamond Board,” she said.
"We won the competition. It took us four and a half years to finish the building.
“When it started, it wasn’t trying to become the largest building. Slowly some of the requirements grew and some things got added to the project and then it turned out to be bigger than the Pentagon.”
The building was ready on time and diamond companies had bought all available office space before construction was complete, Ms Rastogi said.
It will welcome its first occupants in November and is likely to be officially opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose home state is Gujarat.
“Surat Diamond Bourse showcases the dynamism and growth of Surat's diamond industry,” Mr Modi tweeted on Wednesday.
"It is also a testament to India’s entrepreneurial spirit.
"It will serve as a hub for trade, innovation and collaboration, further boosting our economy and creating employment opportunities."
Match statistics
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 36 Bahrain 32
Harlequins
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Cons: Stevenson 2
Pens: Stevenson
Bahrain
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Man of the match: Craig Nutt (Harlequins)
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Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
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1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
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6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
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7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
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10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
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Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
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West Asia Premiership - Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons; Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup - Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Cup - Winners: Bahrain; Runners up: Dubai Exiles
West Asia Trophy - Winners: Dubai Hurricanes; Runners up: DSC Eagles
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