National News
India’s gold demand improves as prices dip
Gold demand in India saw a slight improvement towards the week’s end as prices fell from record highs, yet remained below normal levels. Discounts in China persisted due to low activity, and India’s imports are predicted to drop significantly by 85 per cent in February. Meanwhile, gold trades in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan show varying premiums and discounts.
India’s gold demand improved in the second half of this week but remained lower than normal as prices retreated from all-time-high levels, while traders continued to offer discounts in China as activity remained lacklustre. Domestic gold prices were trading around 84,750 rupees per 10 grams on Friday after hitting a record high of 86,592 rupees last week.
Indian dealers this week offered a discount of $12-$27 an ounce over official domestic prices, inclusive of 6 per cent import and 3 per cent sales levies, down from the last week’s discount of $35.
National News
Government adds 7 new districts for mandatory gold hallmarking, taking total to 380
New Delhi, March 5, 2026 — In a decisive step towards fortifying consumer safeguards and elevating transparency in the precious metals ecosystem, the Central Government has promulgated the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts (Amendment) Order, 2026, effective March 2, 2026. This pivotal amendment, issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and published in the Official Gazette, revises the territorial annexure originally established under the 2020 Hallmarking Order.
The notification substitutes the prior district schedule with an optimized, expanded framework, progressively incorporating additional jurisdictions to achieve broader nationwide coverage. As part of the sixth phase of phased implementation, this update integrates seven new districts—Rupnagar (Punjab), Banda (Uttor Pradesh), Beed (Maharashtra), Gomati (Tripura), Katihar (Bihar), Beawar (Rajasthan), and Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh)—elevating the total number of districts under mandatory BIS hallmarking to 380.
This calibrated expansion aligns with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 2016, and follows extensive stakeholder consultations, underscoring the Government’s commitment to public interest priorities. In notified districts, all gold jewellery and artefacts must now bear the authoritative BIS hallmark, encompassing the BIS logo, precise purity grade (covering 14K to 24K caratages), and requisite identification marks. This standardized certification mechanism effectively mitigates adulteration risks, empowers informed consumer decision-making, and fosters greater accountability across the gold value chain.
Building on successive amendments—including the most recent prior update in July 2025—the 2026 Order accelerates the phased mandate initiated in 2021, transitioning from initial coverage of 256 districts towards comprehensive penetration in tier-2 and tier-3 markets. The initiative reinforces trust in domestic gold transactions amid elevated commodity prices and positions India’s jewellery sector for enhanced global competitiveness through uniform quality assurance protocols.
Industry participants in the newly designated districts are advised to expedite alignment with BIS certification and assaying requirements to ensure seamless compliance and uninterrupted operations.
This forward-looking regulatory measure reaffirms the Government’s proactive stance in delivering value-driven consumer protection while driving sustainable growth in one of India’s cornerstone retail and cultural sectors.
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