India's gold import duty hike could cut 2026 demand by up to 60 tonnes: WGC

WGC estimates the effective import duty jump from 6% to 15% may trim jewellery, bar and coin demand by 50-60 tonnes (~10% YoY) in 2026. Record prices near Rs 1.8 lakh/10g add pressure on jewellery retailers, though long-term consumer affinity stays intact.

— Filed Wed, 1 Jul, 2026, 19:10 IST · Source Business Today · Latest · Updated

India's hike in effective gold import duty from 6% to 15% could cut jewellery, bar and coin demand by 50-60 tonnes (~10% YoY) in 2026, per WGC, denting jewellery retailers though long-term affinity remains intact.

Why this matters

Follows WGC data showing India gold prices jumped 4.1% in May despite a 1.4% global decline, with old-gold exchange surging 60%. Duty and record-price pressures now threaten 2026 volumes.

Retail-company signals accelerating, up 479600% QoQ.