By Rajendra Jadhav
MUMBAI (Reuters) -India’s gold imports in June fell 40% from a year ago to their lowest level in more than two years, as a price rally to a record high sapped demand, a government and two industry officials told Reuters.
Imports to India, the world’s second-largest gold consumer, fell to 21 tons, the lowest since April 2023, said a government official, who declined to be named as he was not authorised to talk to the media.
In value terms, gold imports fell to $1.84 billion in June from $2.48 billion a year ago, the official said. In the past decade, on average, India imported 52.4 tons of gold in June.
In the first half of 2025, India’s gold imports fell 30% from a year ago to 204.1 tons, the lowest since the first half of 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak led to lockdown, the trade ministry data showed.
The rapid surge in prices has been discouraging retail buyers from making jewellery purchases, said Ashok Jain, proprietor of Mumbai-based gold wholesaler Chenaji Narsinghji.
Domestic prices hit an all-time high of 101,078 rupees per 10 grams in June. Gold prices have risen 27% so far this year after rising 21% in 2024.
Gold imports would remain subdued even in July, as demand is still tepid because of higher prices, Jain said.
Silver imports in June nearly doubled from a year ago to 197 tons, but were significantly lower than the 544 tons imported in May, the government official said.
In recent months, Indian investors, traditionally obsessed with stockpiling gold, are increasingly turning to silver, as its returns this year outpaced those of gold.
(Reporting by Rajendra JadhavEditing by Ros Russell)
