India’s gold imports drop 57.75% in August after duty hike

Gold imports fell to $2.3 billion in August following an import-duty increase, while silver imports rose 127% to $1.02 billion—signalling potential sourcing, pricing and assortment shifts for jewellery retailers.

— Source publishedTue, 15 Sept, 2026, 21:33 IST·First seen Tue, 15 Sept, 2026, 22:18 IST·Source The Hindu BusinessLine

What happened

India gold retail market · India's gold imports dropped 57.75% to $2.3 billion in August following an import-duty hike, while silver imports surged 127% to

Key facts

  • Gold imports fell 57.75%
  • Gold imports: $2.3 billion in August
  • Silver imports rose 127%
  • Silver imports: $1.02 billion in August

What changed

India's gold imports dropped 57.75% to $2.3 billion in August following an import-duty hike, while silver imports surged 127% to $1.02 billion, signaling potential supply and pricing implications for jewelry retailers.

Why this matters

Rebalance sourcing and assortment toward silver while tightening gold inventory, pricing and replenishment plans after the duty-driven import shock.

What to watch

  • Any further change, rollback or clarification in India’s gold import-duty regime.
  • Gold retail price movement versus the prior festive season and consumer response to higher ticket sizes.
  • Monthly gold-import recovery, domestic scrap availability and reported bullion-premium trends.
  • Silver price and import trends, especially whether higher supply translates into jewellery rather than industrial demand.
  • Festive-season sales mix: lightweight gold, exchange transactions, silver jewellery and average transaction value.