The authorities on Wednesday imposed import restrictions on certain gold jewelry and articles, a transfer which might assist lower the import of non-essential objects and include the commerce deficit. Now an importer would wish permission of a licence from the federal government for importing these gold merchandise. However, the directorate normal of international commerce (DGFT) mentioned that the restrictions won’t be there for imports beneath the India-UAE free commerce settlement.
In a notification, the DGFT mentioned that the import coverage of those merchandise “has been amended from free to restricted with immediate effect”. Imports of pearls, valuable and semi-precious stones dipped by 25.36 per cent to about USD 4 billion throughout April-May this fiscal. Gold imports too contracted by about 40 per cent to USD 4.7 billion in the identical interval.
Overall merchandise imports throughout April-May this fiscal declined 10.24 per cent to USD 107 billion. The merchandise commerce deficit for April-May 2023 stood at USD 37.26 billion in opposition to USD 40.48 billion throughout April-May 2022.
Import of certain gold jewelry stood at over USD 110 million in April-may this fiscal and it was primarily imported from international locations like UAE, Indonesia and the US.
Colin Shah, MD, Kama Jewelry, and former chairman of gems and jewelry export promotion council, mentioned, “Though the steps by the federal government is to stability the macroeconomics. Gold an a uncooked materials needs to be out there at cheap costs for the Gems & Jewellery trade to preserve the aggressive edge for exports.
(With inputs from PTI)
