India Raises Gold Hallmarking Fees by 67 Percent

The Bureau of Indian Standards increased the hallmarking fee for gold articles from ₹45 to ₹75 per item, a 67 percent hike that took effect on September 14, 2026. The new fee structure introduces a minimum charge of ₹200 per gold consignment, while silver fees remain at ₹35 per article with a ₹150 minimum consignment charge. Under the new rules, Assaying and Hallmarking Centres will pay the agency ₹7.50 per gold article and ₹3.50 per silver article.

The timing of the revision coincides with the start of India's major festive and wedding seasons, including Navratri, Dussehra, and Diwali. While the agency does not require jewellers to pass these costs to consumers, the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council has protested the decision. The council argues that increased hallmarking volumes should have led to economies of scale rather than price increases.

Industry representatives warned that higher compliance costs could create incentives for market distortions. The council specifically noted that raising charges without addressing unauthorized centers and fake hallmarking risks producing the opposite of the intended effect.