Customs duty hike sends gold to ₹1.62L/10g in Delhi; jewellery retailers brace for demand hit

Centre's duty hike on precious metals on May 13, 2026 pushed 24K gold up ₹9,338 to ₹16,285.8/gram and silver to ₹2.97L/kg. MCX Aug 2026 gold hit ₹1,66,620/10g. With PM Modi already urging restraint on gold buying, Tanishq, Kalyan and Malabar face margin and footfall pressure heading into wedding season.

— Filed Fri, 15 May, 2026, 07:22 IST · Source Hindustan Times · Business · Updated

Centre's customs duty hike on precious metals triggered sharp gold and silver price surges on May 13, 2026, with 24K gold up ₹9,338/gram. Move follows PM Modi's appeal against gold buying, directly impacting jewellery retailers like Tanishq, Kalyan, Malabar.

Why this matters

Duty-led price shock lands as listed jewellers Tanishq, Kalyan and Malabar were already navigating record bullion levels. Wedding-season demand, typically a Q3 tailwind, now risks deferral and ticket downsizing.

Retail-brand activity steady at 177 signals in 90 days, with bullion-linked jewellery stress now dominant.