National News
IAGES expands network to over 300+ stores with 50+ accredited partners
Leading gold businesses including retailers like Senco Gold & Diamonds and PN Gadgil Jewellers, Waman Hari Pethe Jewellers, Kalamandir Jewellers; manufacturers like Swarnshilp Chains & Jewellers Pvt. Ltd, Royal Chain Private Limited; and bullion traders like Agau Jewels have received their IAGES accreditations, establishing a new formal order in the sector
The Indian Association for Gold Excellence and Standards (IAGES), a Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) established by and for the Indian gold industry has achieved the 50 accredited members milestone, reshaping the gold sector to become more consumer-friendly and future-ready. Some of India’s leading gold retailers like Senco Gold & Diamonds, PN Gadgil Jewellers, Kalamandir Jewellers and Waman Hari Pethe Jewellers are now IAGES-accredited.
IAGES has been formed to build trust among consumers in gold business entities through the process of accreditation facilitated by a neutral third-party assessment. Gold has been a part of the Indian culture of celebrations for centuries but the sector largely remains fragmented because of the lack of a stringent framework of credibility, transparency and trust. The IAGES fills in this gap through its accreditation.

“IAGES continues to strengthen its industry presence, having reached 300+ stores through its fast-growing network of 50+ accredited partners. The success we have seen so far reflects the industry’s collective intent to raise standards and strengthen consumer confidence in the sector. We welcome our partners on board and hope that by aligning Indian gold businesses with global benchmarks, we step forward towards a more transparent, accountable, and future-ready gold ecosystem,” said Kaushlendra Sinha, CEO, IAGES.
The IAGES accreditation mandates transparency, ethical conduct, and responsible operations among gold business entities including refiners, bullion traders, manufacturers, assayers & hallmarkers, retailers as well as digital gold retailers. For gold buyers, the accreditation instantly assures them of their retailers’ credibility and trust.
IAGES is also currently running its ‘Before you buy gold, #PehlaCheckIAGES’ campaign to spread awareness among India’s gold buyers on the importance of purchasing jewellery after checking whether their retailer is an IAGES-accredited partner.
IAGES-accredited members are privy to several benefits including an established market leadership, a competitive edge over non accredited contemporaries, loyalty of both old and new consumers and deeper investor relations. For consumers, an IAGESaccredited retailer means they can shop with total confidence knowing their business has sourced and processed the gold ethically and responsibly.
IAGES continues to welcome more partners from across the country strengthening India’s position in the global gold value chain, with each new accreditation.
source :IAGES
National News
Outstanding gold-backed loans surge by 128% from a year earlier
India’s appetite for borrowing against gold is reshaping the country’s credit landscape. Outstanding gold-backed loans have surged 128% from a year earlier, crossing Rs.4 lakh crore ($48 billion) for the first time, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India. As of Jan. 31, loans secured by gold jewellery stood at Rs.4,00,517 crore, marking one of the fastest expansions in retail credit in recent years.
The boom in gold loans has helped propel overall non-food bank credit growth to 14.4% year-on-year. Personal loans now account for 34.5% of total bank lending, outpacing other segments and underscoring a broader shift toward consumer-driven credit expansion
Gold loans alone contributed roughly 9% of incremental bank credit during the period. Between January 2024 and January 2026, outstanding gold-backed credit rose by nearly Rs.3.1 lakh crore—an increase of about 338% over two years—more than quadrupling the size of the portfolio.
Two factors are driving the surge. First, gold prices have climbed roughly 152% over the past two years, increasing the collateral value of household holdings. Second, regulatory guidance requiring banks to classify loans secured by gold explicitly as gold loans has sharpened reporting and accelerated balance-sheet growth in the segment.
The trend highlights a distinctive feature of India’s financial system: households’ vast stock of physical gold, long viewed primarily as a store of wealth, is increasingly being mobilized as collateral for formal credit.
While personal lending and credit to nonbank financial companies within the services sector continue to expand rapidly, industrial credit remains uneven. Loans to micro, small and medium enterprises are growing steadily, but borrowing by large corporations has stayed relatively muted.
Since March 21, 2025, banks have added Rs.21.8 lakh crore to their non-food loan books, translating into 12% growth for the financial year to date. Yet it is gold—rather than factories or infrastructure—that is emerging as one of the most dynamic engines of India’s current credit cycle.
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