New Delhi: Hallmarking of silver jewellery is set to become mandatory from October to step up consumer protection and regulatory oversight, according to two government officials.

The decision brings silver jewellery closer to the regulatory framework governing mandatory gold hallmarking. BIS first introduced a voluntary hallmarking scheme for gold in 2000, before the government made it mandatory in June 2021 across 256 districts that had at least one recognised assaying and hallmarking centre (AHC). Implemented in six phases, mandatory gold hallmarking has since expanded to about 400 of India's 782 districts. Silver hallmarking will similarly be rolled out in phases.

The move follows the government’s expansion of testing and certification infrastructure for silver items, along with the rollout of a six-digit hallmark unique identification (HUID) system.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) currently operates 341 silver assaying and hallmarking centres across 102 districts, with 25,000 silver jewellers registered under the body. The BIS recognises seven fineness grades for silver jewellery, ranging from 800 to 999 parts per thousand.

Silver hallmarking has been available in India on a voluntary basis since October 2005, allowing BIS-registered jewellers to get their pieces certified at recognized assaying and hallmarking centres.

However, since September 2025, any silver article that undergoes hallmarking is required to carry a BIS-issued, six-digit alphanumeric HUID. This pilot programme aims to assess industry readiness ahead of a full nationwide rollout. Since the HUID portal was launched on 1 September 2025, more than 7.7 million pieces of silver jewellery have been hallmarked, according to government data.

Under this system, every hallmarked article must display the BIS standard mark, the word 'SILVER', its purity grade, and its unique HUID, enabling consumers to track and verify product details digitally through the BIS CARE app.

Protecting consumers

“Mandatory hallmarking of silver jewellery will help ensure that consumers get the purity they pay for,” the first official said, adding that while adding other metals to create alloys is permitted, issues arise when actual silver content falls below claimed levels. Hallmarking, the official noted, will offer third-party purity assurance and bring greater transparency to the market.

Under Sections 14(6)/(8), 15, and 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, non-compliant jewellers can face up to one year in prison or a fine of at least ₹1 lakh, which may extend to five times the value of the goods, for certain hallmarking violations. Misuse of the hallmark can attract up to two years' imprisonment and higher fines, including up to 10 times the value of the goods in specified cases.

"Jewellery, whether silver or gold, is an asset for Indian families. It is therefore important that it is pure and that consumers know the actual value of the jewellery they own, so that they receive the right price based on its purity when they need to sell or exchange it. Consumers should not end up paying for silver jewellery when a silver-coated aluminium or other non-silver article is being sold to them as genuine silver,” the second official said.

For unhallmarked silver jewellery, consumers face financial losses during resale or exchange if testing reveals a lower purity level than assumed at purchase. In such cases, the item is valued strictly on actual purity and prevailing market rates, mirror-imaging the gold market where hallmarking guarantees a 22-carat piece holds its claimed value.

Rajesh Rokde, chairman of the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC), noted that while most reputable Indian jewellers already stick to the globally recognized 92.5% sterling silver standard, regional preferences vary widely across the country. He suggested expanding official standards beyond the current 80-99.9% range to include 65% and 70% purity levels, while also re-introducing 90% purity to cater to existing market demand.

“Impurities or variations are mostly confined to unorganized players or non-hallmarked products, which is why GJC continues to emphasize hallmarking and certification as the most effective safeguard,” he said.

“This transition will bring additional costs for testing and compliance, particularly for smaller jewellers, but it will also create a level playing field and enhance transparency,” Rokde added.

The nationwide rollout of gold hallmarking offers a playbook for the silver sector. Between July 2021 and 5 March 2026, over 60 crore gold articles were hallmarked with HUIDs. The scale-up involved expanding assaying infrastructure alongside tighter enforcement, with the BIS conducting more than 30 enforcement drives against non-compliant jewellers in 2025-26 alone.

Trade dynamics

The regulatory push comes as India's silver jewellery exports nearly doubled to $433.80 million in the first quarter of FY27, while imports fell over 90% to $21.87 million. That follows a major surge in silver jewellery trade during FY26, when imports surged 84.55% to $863.08 million and exports grew 66.59% to $1.64 billion.

India consumes around 5,000-7,000 tonnes of silver annually, of which only 700-800 tonnes are mined domestically. The remaining 80-90% of demand is met through imports, mainly from the UK, the UAE, Hong Kong and Russia, among others. With silver prices sitting around ₹2.5 lakh per kg, recent price volatility has heightened consumer focus on verified metal content. This shift is already visible in voluntary adoption, with hallmarked silver articles nearly doubling to 5.9 million in FY26, up from 3.2 million in FY25.

Jewellery is the single largest end use of silver in India, accounting for about 35% of total consumption. Silverware contributes another 15-20%. India’s jewellery sector, which employs more than 4.3 million people, typically sees production and retail sales surge during festive and wedding seasons.

Unlike the broader jewellery market, in which organised retailers account for about 39% of sales, there is no recent reliable estimate of the organised share specifically for silver jewellery. The segment remains more fragmented, with a large number of local jewellers and manufacturers.

Queries sent to the department of consumer affairs remained unanswered at the time of publishing.

New Delhi: Hallmarking of silver jewellery is set to become mandatory from October to step up consumer protection and regulatory oversight, according to two government officials.

The decision brings silver jewellery closer to the regulatory framework governing mandatory gold hallmarking. BIS first introduced a voluntary hallmarking scheme for gold in 2000, before the government made it mandatory in June 2021 across 256 districts that had at least one recognised assaying and hallmarking centre (AHC). Implemented in six phases, mandatory gold hallmarking has since expanded to about 400 of India's 782 districts. Silver hallmarking will similarly be rolled out in phases.

The move follows the government’s expansion of testing and certification infrastructure for silver items, along with the rollout of a six-digit hallmark unique identification (HUID) system.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) currently operates 341 silver assaying and hallmarking centres across 102 districts, with 25,000 silver jewellers registered under the body. The BIS recognises seven fineness grades for silver jewellery, ranging from 800 to 999 parts per thousand.

Silver hallmarking has been available in India on a voluntary basis since October 2005, allowing BIS-registered jewellers to get their pieces certified at recognized assaying and hallmarking centres.

However, since September 2025, any silver article that undergoes hallmarking is required to carry a BIS-issued, six-digit alphanumeric HUID. This pilot programme aims to assess industry readiness ahead of a full nationwide rollout. Since the HUID portal was launched on 1 September 2025, more than 7.7 million pieces of silver jewellery have been hallmarked, according to government data.

Under this system, every hallmarked article must display the BIS standard mark, the word 'SILVER', its purity grade, and its unique HUID, enabling consumers to track and verify product details digitally through the BIS CARE app.

Protecting consumers

“Mandatory hallmarking of silver jewellery will help ensure that consumers get the purity they pay for,” the first official said, adding that while adding other metals to create alloys is permitted, issues arise when actual silver content falls below claimed levels. Hallmarking, the official noted, will offer third-party purity assurance and bring greater transparency to the market.

Under Sections 14(6)/(8), 15, and 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, non-compliant jewellers can face up to one year in prison or a fine of at least ₹1 lakh, which may extend to five times the value of the goods, for certain hallmarking violations. Misuse of the hallmark can attract up to two years' imprisonment and higher fines, including up to 10 times the value of the goods in specified cases.

"Jewellery, whether silver or gold, is an asset for Indian families. It is therefore important that it is pure and that consumers know the actual value of the jewellery they own, so that they receive the right price based on its purity when they need to sell or exchange it. Consumers should not end up paying for silver jewellery when a silver-coated aluminium or other non-silver article is being sold to them as genuine silver,” the second official said.

For unhallmarked silver jewellery, consumers face financial losses during resale or exchange if testing reveals a lower purity level than assumed at purchase. In such cases, the item is valued strictly on actual purity and prevailing market rates, mirror-imaging the gold market where hallmarking guarantees a 22-carat piece holds its claimed value.

Rajesh Rokde, chairman of the All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC), noted that while most reputable Indian jewellers already stick to the globally recognized 92.5% sterling silver standard, regional preferences vary widely across the country. He suggested expanding official standards beyond the current 80-99.9% range to include 65% and 70% purity levels, while also re-introducing 90% purity to cater to existing market demand.

“Impurities or variations are mostly confined to unorganized players or non-hallmarked products, which is why GJC continues to emphasize hallmarking and certification as the most effective safeguard,” he said.

“This transition will bring additional costs for testing and compliance, particularly for smaller jewellers, but it will also create a level playing field and enhance transparency,” Rokde added.

The nationwide rollout of gold hallmarking offers a playbook for the silver sector. Between July 2021 and 5 March 2026, over 60 crore gold articles were hallmarked with HUIDs. The scale-up involved expanding assaying infrastructure alongside tighter enforcement, with the BIS conducting more than 30 enforcement drives against non-compliant jewellers in 2025-26 alone.

Trade dynamics

The regulatory push comes as India's silver jewellery exports nearly doubled to $433.80 million in the first quarter of FY27, while imports fell over 90% to $21.87 million. That follows a major surge in silver jewellery trade during FY26, when imports surged 84.55% to $863.08 million and exports grew 66.59% to $1.64 billion.

India consumes around 5,000-7,000 tonnes of silver annually, of which only 700-800 tonnes are mined domestically. The remaining 80-90% of demand is met through imports, mainly from the UK, the UAE, Hong Kong and Russia, among others. With silver prices sitting around ₹2.5 lakh per kg, recent price volatility has heightened consumer focus on verified metal content. This shift is already visible in voluntary adoption, with hallmarked silver articles nearly doubling to 5.9 million in FY26, up from 3.2 million in FY25.

Jewellery is the single largest end use of silver in India, accounting for about 35% of total consumption. Silverware contributes another 15-20%. India’s jewellery sector, which employs more than 4.3 million people, typically sees production and retail sales surge during festive and wedding seasons.

Unlike the broader jewellery market, in which organised retailers account for about 39% of sales, there is no recent reliable estimate of the organised share specifically for silver jewellery. The segment remains more fragmented, with a large number of local jewellers and manufacturers.

Queries sent to the department of consumer affairs remained unanswered at the time of publishing.