Latest News

India's four-week platinum imports go beyond 2023 overall as gold shown as platinum

India's fourweek platinum imports from mid June eclipsed 2023's total as bullion dealerships exploited a loophole by signing up alloys consisting of around 90%. gold as platinum to avoid higher tasks, government and industry. authorities told .

In that time frame dealerships cleared 13 metric lots of these. metal consignments valued at around $1 billion from customizeds,. compared to total platinum imports of 9.97 metric tons in 2023,. stated a federal government official who decreased to be called as he wasn't. authorised to speak with media.

This masking was possible because of a government rule on. classifying platinum which specifies that an alloy consisting of 2%. or more, by weight, of platinum is to be treated as an alloy of. platinum, the authorities said.

Considering that April 1, dealers pay just 5% import duty on platinum. against 15% on gold under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Arrangement signed between India and major bullion trading hub the. UAE in 2022, said Nitin Kedia, nationwide basic secretary at the. All India Jewellers and Goldsmith Federation.

Since bullion dealerships pay 10% less import duty on what. they claim is platinum, they can use discount rates of up to 2%. when offering fine-tuned gold. This puts those who import gold. legally, paying the full 15% task, at a competitive. downside, he stated.

India is the world's 2nd biggest customer of gold and. depends on imports to fulfil the majority of its requirement. It is also. among the leading five global customers of platinum.

The recent shipments have led to New Delhi losing tax. profits. In addition, importers are making the most of the. lower task to offer this imported metal at a discount rate, distorting. rates in the regional market.

Gold discounts in India expanded on Monday to $34 an ounce. over official domestic costs, the highest in nearly 3-1/2. months and up greatly from a discount of $9 a fortnight back.

The government established the present platinum import rule. when platinum costs considerably went beyond gold rates, said a. Mumbai-based bullion dealership with a personal bank.

With platinum now trading at a discount rate and attracting a. lower import task under CEPA, a modification of the definition is. necessary.

Value-added items were qualified for lower Indian import. task under CEPA. Nevertheless in Dubai, traders are simply blending small. quantities of platinum and copper into gold bars and providing it. as value addition while exporting them to India, the bullion. dealer stated.

(source: Reuters)