In early 1946, members of the Khoja Ismaili community gathered in Bombay to celebrate the diamond jubilee of the Aga Khan as their spiritual leader. The celebration was to end on March 10 at Brabourne Stadium, with the Aga Khan being weighed in diamonds.
Arrangements were made to ship in 600,000 carats of diamonds through the London diamond syndicate. The sparklers were to reach Bombay (as Mumbai was called) six days before the ceremony. The Chartered Bank – now known as Standard Chartered Bank – in London was roped in to co-ordinate the shipment with the British and Indian authorities.
On March 1, however, the bank was alarmed to learn that the ship in which the diamonds were to arrive had been diverted to Basra, Iraq. On March 6, it sent an officer to New Delhi to meet Viceroy Archibald Wavell and sort things out. The viceroy’s secretary wondered if using glass gems instead of diamonds would work but such suggestions were brushed aside. After hectic parleys, a speedboat left for Basra. The diamonds soon reached Karachi harbour, and by March 9 evening, they were in the safe custody of the bank. The next day, the Aga Khan was weighed as planned.
The bank’s efforts to help the Ismaili community reflect its work culture.
Ismailimail 
This is not what history mentioned. I read some years ago that the delivery of the diamonds was made possible with the help of Prince Aly who risked his life to fly out and bring the diamonds to Bombay via Karachi.
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