India silver imports crash 87% in May after duty hike to 15%

May silver imports fell to $75.57M from $566.22M a year earlier, with volumes down 94% to 33 metric tons. The 15% duty and tighter curbs squeeze jewellery retailers including Tanishq and Titan as local premiums climb and silver ETF inflows face pressure.

— Source publishedMon, 15 Jun, 2026, 22:54 IST·First seen Mon, 15 Jun, 2026, 22:59 IST·Source The Hindu BusinessLine

What happened

Government of India · India's silver imports plunged 87% YoY in May to $75.57 million after government tightened import curbs and raised duties to 15%,

Key facts

  • 87% YoY drop
  • $75.57 million May imports
  • $566.22 million May 2024
  • 33 metric tons
  • 94% volume drop
  • 15% import duty
  • $12 billion FY25/26 silver imports
  • $4.8 billion prior year

Why this matters

Scout distressed silver-focused regional jewellers and ETF-adjacent bullion players for opportunistic consolidation as duty shock stresses smaller balance sheets over the next two quarters.