The rules for purchasing gold are set to change. The government has a major plan in place for this. The government is preparing to implement this new framework across the entire country very soon. Discussions regarding this matter have already been held with various stakeholders in the jewelry industry, and they are ready to adopt these regulations.
Gold purchasing Rules: The Central Government is now preparing to further tighten hallmarking regulations to ensure the purity and transparency of gold jewelry. Under this initiative, the use of a unique identification number (HUID) for every item will be made mandatory. The objective is to curb counterfeit goods and enhance their identification.
Unique IDs Cannot Be Reused
Citing sources, a report in *Mint* states that under the new system, every piece of jewelry will be assigned a distinct identification number based on its design, shape, and other characteristics. This number cannot be reused under any circumstances—even if the jewelry pieces appear identical. Furthermore, once a jewelry item is melted down, the unique ID assigned to it cannot be reused for any other product. This measure will prevent the counterfeiting or misuse of certifications. Consequently, it will bolster consumer confidence and enhance transparency within the market.
Why is this decision being taken?
Sources stated that this decision has been taken in light of rising complaints where the purity of jewelry—purchased with a specific Hallmark ID and purity level—was subsequently found to be different. It has come to light that a single unique ID is being used for multiple items. However, the total number of complaints has not been disclosed.
Receiving Industry Support
Sandeep Kohli, CEO of Indriya—an Aditya Birla jewelry venture—stated that this initiative is being launched in partnership with corporate jewelers and will gradually be expanded to encompass the entire jewelry ecosystem. He noted that this approach will completely eliminate the risk of third parties duplicating or misusing the HUID numbers associated with their products. He further explained that images of the hallmark markings will be uploaded to their platform, thereby enabling the identification and prevention of counterfeit or forged markings in the future through the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The company is integrating this change into its systems in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
Pilot Project in 2025
It is worth noting that in October 2025, the Department of Consumer Affairs—through its quality standards wing, the BIS—launched a pilot project across 25 districts with the objective of digitally recording jewelry details. Utilizing integrated cameras and weighing systems, the BIS recorded the photograph and weight of every hallmarked jewelry item on its portal, thereby enhancing transparency.
Hallmarking was introduced in the year 2000 and was made mandatory in various phases starting in 2021; it has now reached approximately 400 districts. According to data from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, more than 580 million gold articles have been hallmarked since then—averaging over 10 million per month.
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