Page 10 - Bullion World Issue 12 Volume 05 December_2025

Bullion World | Volume 5 | Issue 12 | December 2025

IBJA Milestones 2025:

A Future-Ready Bullion

& Jewellery Ecosystem

To further enhance clarity on hallmarking, IBJA
In 2025, the India Bullion and Jewellers issued an important update on gold coins:
Association (IBJA) further strengthened its • Gold coins of 999 and 995 purity manufactured
role as the apex body for India’s precious by refiners or mints are exempt from hallmarking
metals ecosystem, working at the intersection under the order dated January 15, 2020.
of policy, markets, and consumer trust. From • Gold coins of 995 purity manufactured by jewellers
hallmarking reforms and fraud-prevention must be hallmarked by a recognised hallmarking
measures to capacity building on derivatives agency, and are treated as jewellery.
and risk management, IBJA’s initiatives • Gold coins of 999 purity manufactured by jewellers
were geared toward making the bullion and will, in practice, be certified and hallmarked as 995
jewellery value chain more transparent, purity, since hallmarking centres are not presently
resilient, and future-ready. equipped to hallmark 999 purity. These too are

categorised as jewellery.
Below is an overview of some of the key
developments and milestones during the year This clarification helps both jewellers and consumers
2025
understand their rights and obligations under the
current regulatory regime.
1. Policy Advocacy and Regulatory Engagement
Advancing hallmarking reforms. Engagement with consumer affairs and law
Hallmarking remained at the core of IBJA’s policy enforcement
agenda in 2025. Following sustained representations,
the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) accepted IBJA’s IBJA engaged closely with the Department of
long-standing request to include 9 karat gold in the Consumer Affairs on broader reforms. In meetings
list of permitted karat ages. BIS has published an with Smt. Nidhi Khare (IAS), Secretary, and Shri Bharat
amendment to IS 1417:2016, formally adding 9K to the Khera (IAS), Additional Secretary, IBJA advocated for:
nine approved standards. • Inclusion of 9K (375) gold jewellery in hallmarking
norms; and
IBJA is now closely coordinating with BIS to ensure • Effective implementation of bullion and silver
that 9K hallmarking is incorporated into BIS Manak (the hallmarking in the OCO framework, ensuring that
operational system), so that Assaying and Hallmarking reforms benefit both consumers and the trade.
Centres can begin hallmarking 9K jewellery at the
earliest. This development is expected to support both Recognising the increasing sophistication of criminal
organised manufacturers and new product segments, activity targeting jewellers, IBJA also prioritised safety
while giving consumers greater choice within a and fraud prevention. A meeting with Dr. Abhinav
regulated framework. Deshmukh, Additional Commissioner of Police, South
A detailed meeting with Smt. G. Bhavani, Scientist-F Zone, Mumbai, focused on strengthening fraud
/ Senior Director & Head, BIS, addressed concerns prevention mechanisms and collaboration between the
arising from recent inspections at Valli Vilas Thanga trade and law enforcement.
Maligai, Panruti, including jewellery seizure practices In Lucknow, IBJA held a fruitful discussion with District
and HUID-related issues. IBJA emphasised the need Magistrate Shri Vishakh G. (IAS). Key issues included
for balanced enforcement that protects consumers prioritising arms licences for jewellers, installing
without disrupting legitimate trade, and will continue to AI-enabled surveillance cameras across bullion
work with BIS on fair, practical solutions.

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