60% of Indians plan to skip non-essential gold buys for a year after Modi's forex appeal

A new survey finds six in ten Indians intend to defer discretionary gold purchases for 12 months following PM Modi's call to conserve forex. The shift signals a material near-term demand headwind for India's listed jewelry retailers including Tanishq (Titan), Kalyan Jewellers and Malabar Gold.

— Filed Sun, 17 May, 2026, 08:09 IST · Source NDTV Profit · Updated

Survey finds 6 in 10 Indians plan to avoid non-essential gold purchases for a year following PM Modi's appeal to conserve forex, signaling near-term demand headwind for India's jewelry retailers.

Why this matters

Demand-side shock for India's organized jewelry segment, where footfall and ticket size at Tanishq, Kalyan and Malabar are tied to discretionary gold buying. A 12-month deferral window pressures FY revenue plans.

Footfall theme steady with 35 signals in last 90d; this survey adds a sharp downside catalyst.