The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has shifted silver and unstudded jewellery from the ‘Free’ import category to the ‘Restricted’ category. This rule takes effect immediately and will remain valid until March 31, 2026.
Importers must now obtain a government licence to bring silver, jewellery articles, parts of precious metals, or other unstudded silver products into India.
Surge in Imports from Thailand
The decision follows a sharp increase in silver imports from Thailand, despite the country not producing silver.
Officials suspect that traders are using Thailand as a route to avoid customs duties under the Asean-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA).
Nearly 98% of such imports came from Thailand, with shipments rising to nearly 40 metric tonnes in a short time.
New Rules for Non-Basmati Rice Exporters
Separately, the DGFT has introduced new conditions for non-basmati rice exports. Exporters must now register their contracts with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) before making shipments.
This step aims to strengthen monitoring, streamline trade flows, and ensure compliance amid growing global demand.
India’s Rice Exports Remain Strong
Despite these new rules, India’s rice exports continue to grow. In the April–August period of FY26, non-basmati rice exports rose 6.4% year-on-year to $4.7 billion.
The new registration process is expected to improve traceability, compliance, and quality standards in the export sector.
