JB Insights
IAGES is a pioneering framework to ensure transparency, trust and sustainability in the gold sector
Indian Association for Gold Excellence and Standards (IAGES)is a Self Regulatory Organisation (SRO) created by the Indian gold industry, for the Indian gold industry, and supported by prominent gold sector industry associations. IAGES stands as an independent body revolutionizing the gold industry in India, aims to brings a pioneering framework to ensure transparency, trust, and sustainability in the gold sector. Kaushlendra Sinha, CEO -IAGES speaking to JewelBuzz, underscores how IAGES will enhance compliance and build trust in the gold sector and dwells on the pan – India roll-out of IAGES.
We are at GJS Diwali edition-What’s your impression of this year’s event?
The energy here is palpable. There’s a renewed sense of optimism, and I must commend the GJC for orchestrating such a seamless show. Events like this are invaluable—they allow us to connect with stakeholders across the ecosystem.
Tell us about IAGES’s relationship with trade organizations.
We maintain a close partnership with the GJC, which is a primary shareholder of IAGES. Our collaboration extends across multiple initiatives, ensuring alignment with industry standards. In essence, we are an industry-led, self-regulatory organization—the first of its kind globally in the gold sector.
What’s the mission behind IAGES?
Our goal is to enhance compliance across the gold industry, thereby strengthening consumer trust throughout the value chain. By creating transparency and standardization, we aim to give consumers confidence when engaging with gold businesses, particularly in high-value, emotional transactions.
How has IAGES evolved since inception?
The initiative began in collaboration with the World Gold Council. By August 2025, IAGES became an independent entity and now operates as a fully industry-led initiative. Our shareholder base includes the GJC and IAGES partners, with more joining progressively.
How are you engaging with the industry across India?
Currently, our accreditation program is live in Mumbai. However, we’ve received significant inquiries from other regions, and we’re actively expanding our assessor network nationwide. Our long-term objective is Pan-India coverage, enabling businesses to access our services regardless of location.
And on the consumer side, what’s the strategy?
Consumer engagement is central to our initiative. IAGES accreditation provides a seal of trust, signifying that a business has undergone third-party assessment, not self-certification. This ensures consumers interact with entities that demonstrate integrity, compliance, and best practices. Our marketing campaign will roll out within the next month, directly targeting consumer awareness and trust.
Can you share some numbers?
We’ve seen a strong response, with over 200 expressions of interest to date. Our panel of 10 trained assessors is currently onboarding, with rigorous training on our code of conduct. Accreditation isn’t instantaneous—it’s a structured, methodical process, ensuring credibility and consistency.
Any final thoughts as you expand this initiative?
Our vision is clear: drive the gold industry towards organization, transparency, and consumer confidence. With government encouragement for the organized sector, initiatives like IAGES are critical in enhancing credibility and reputation.
Thank you for your insights. Wishing you and your team continued success.
Thank you, Steve. We thank JewelBuzz for providing this platform to share our vision and look forward to connecting further with both industry and consumers.
JB Insights
The Role Of Hallmarking and Transparency In Strengthening Consumer Confidence
By Suresh Krishnan, Vice President – Sales, PNG Jewellers
In India, jewellery is equally an emotional purchase and a significant financial transaction. As consumers become more informed and digitally empowered, trust is increasingly becoming a decisive factor alongside design, price and brand reputation. Hallmarking has played an important role in creating that trust by giving consumers third-party assurance of precious-metal purity.
India’s hallmarking ecosystem has expanded significantly. BIS data shows that hallmarking registrations increased from 34,647 to 1,37,315 between April 2021 and March 2022 *1, while more than 8.72 crore gold and silver articles were hallmarked during that year. The introduction of the six-digit Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) in 2021 has further strengthened traceability. Consumers can verify a gold article’s HUID through the BIS CARE app, adding an independent layer of assurance at the point of purchase.
For an organised retailer, this becomes particularly relevant as jewellery discovery increasingly moves online. A customer may discover a product on social media, compare it on an e-commerce platform and complete the transaction digitally. In such a journey, hallmarking helps bridge the trust gap created by the absence of physical touch and feel. When purity is independently verifiable, consumers can make online purchases with greater confidence.
The opportunity is also expanding beyond gold. BIS has brought both gold and silver under its hallmarking framework. In FY2024-25, more than 32 lakh silver jewellery articles*2 were hallmarked. The revised IS 2112:2025 introduced HUID-based hallmarking for silver on a voluntary basis from September 2025, creating greater traceability and consumer assurance in a category that is increasingly relevant to younger and value-conscious buyers.
This evolution matters commercially. KPMG’s India CX Report 2025*3 found that 27% of fine-jewellery customers are more confident in authenticity, quality and value when they trust a brand, while 9% said they would explore another brand if jewellery appeared overpriced for its quality. These findings underline why trust is not simply a compliance issue; it directly influences consideration and willingness to pay.
Contributing to the larger goal of organised and transparent trade, hallmarking has now been integrated as part of the broader customer experience across stores, CRM and e-commerce. As India’s jewellery market becomes increasingly omnichannel, the brands that communicate purity, pricing and policies clearly will be better positioned to convert digital discovery into purchase and, more importantly, build relationships that extend beyond a single transaction. The future of jewellery retail will therefore be defined not only by what consumers see, but by how confidently they can verify what they are buying and hallmarking takes care of that concern efficiently.
The Role Of Hallmarking and Transparency In Strengthening Consumer Confidence
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JewelBuzz is Asia’s First Digital Jewellery Media & India’s No.1 B2B Jewellery Magazine, published by AM Media House. Since 2016, we’ve been the trusted source for jewellery news, market trends, trade insights, exhibitions, podcasts, and brand stories, connecting jewellers, retailers, and industry professionals worldwide.