National News
Gold imports up 40.79 pc to USD 2.68 bn in Jan
The country’s gold imports in January rose by 40.79 per cent to USD 2.68 billion on account of increasing domestic demands, according to commerce ministry data.Gold imports stood at USD 1.9 billion in January 2024.Cumulatively, imports during April-January this fiscal year rose 32 per cent to USD 50 billion against USD 37.85 billion in the same period last fiscal year.
The increase in imports also indicates strong investor confidence in the precious metal as a safe asset. The other reasons include asset diversification towards gold due to global uncertainties, increasing demand from banks, and cut in customs duties.Prices of the yellow metal have increased 11 per cent so far this year to ₹88,200 per 10 gram in the national capital.
National News
WGC India Gold Market Update: Import Tightening
Part Of A Broader Push To Conserve Foreign Exchange Reserves Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty and Mounting Pressure On The INR
Highlights
- Gold import duty was raised sharply by 9%– from 6% to 15%, the steepest increase on record – alongside broader regulatory tightening
- Domestic gold prices have not yet fully reflected the duty hike amid weak demand and ample supply; local markets are currently in deep discount from the landed price
- Past trends indicate that higher duty increases unofficial inflows, although official imports remain relatively resilient
- Gold demand is expected to moderate in 2026, with jewellery and bar and coin demand projected to decline by 50–60t (~10% y/y) on account of the import duty hike.
Policy actions on gold imports
Since early April, the government has adopted a series of measures aimed at moderating gold imports. These have been part of a broader push to conserve foreign exchange reserves amid geopolitical uncertainty and mounting pressure on the INR, which has depreciated by more than 7% y-t-d. These measures include price-based actions, administrative and regulatory tightening, and consumer-directed messaging. While noteworthy, they are not unprecedented; gold is among the top five imports for India, accounting for 8% of the country’s merchandise imports in 2025, and similar measures have been utilised in the past.
On the price front, the gold import duty was raised sharply from 6% to 15%, making it the single largest increase on record and fully reversing the duty cut of July 2024. Rules were also tightened for gold imports linked to exports (under the advance authorisation scheme), and the Prime Minister has directly appealed to consumers, urging them to avoid buying gold for a year.
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