How Are Gold Rates Calculated In India? From Making Charges To Taxes, Everything You Need To Know

Gold Rates In India: Gold has continued to be among the top investment choices of Indians. The reason behind why Indians love gold is deeply rooted in their decades-old cultural and traditional demand. Whether it be for a festival or long-term financial goals, gold is seen as a safe haven against prosperity and uncertainty. In the post-pandemic era, with the escalation of modern global geopolitical wars and economic turmoil, gold has seen a significant jump.

In a year, gold prices skyrocketed by a whopping 66% across 24 carats, 22 carats, and 18 carats.

Also, a latest Morgan Stanley report revealed that Indian households own about $3.8 billion worth of gold, which is 88.8% of India's total GDP. In volumes, households have 34,600 tons of gold as of June 2025. As per the global investment bank, this implies a positive wealth effect on the household balance sheet, given the uptrend in gold prices.

While the surge in gold rates is always exhilarating, have you ever wondered how the prices are determined in India?

1. Inflation Rate:

The inflation rate is one of the pivotal factors that drives the sentiment in gold. When costs of groceries, fuels, electricity, and other goods & services start shooting up, its a sign that inflation is escalating. When inflation rises, your savings and real gains on investment take a backseat.

In such cases, investors often turn to gold which in return spurs the buying demand.

2. Currencies:

Gold and the dollar are polar opposites. When the value of the dollar rises, the sentiment in gold weakens as bullion is often traded in USD on a global scale. So when the dollar falls, gold prices get a lift.

3. Interest Rates:

There is no direct relation between policy interest rates and gold. But when global central banks like the US Federal Reserve start raising key fund rates, this makes other market instruments like bond yields and the dollar attractive. And in return, gold loses its shine. But when the Fed starts lowering rates, hedging returns from gold becomes better compared to the dollar and yields.

4. Global Uncertainty:

It's no mystery that gold is seen as a safe haven. In the past five years, the world has witnessed multiple wars, multiyear-high inflation, banking crises, pandemics, and major elections. In such times, gold becomes a financial safety net for seeking profits. You would often see the prices of gold rise during uncertain economic conditions.

5. Jewelry Demand:

India is a country of rich cultures and diversity. Accordingly, it has many seasons of weddings, festivals, and traditions, which makes it auspicious to buy gold. Indians believe holding gold is not just an investment, but also it brings good luck, stability, and prosperity.

6. Mining, Supply, and Scarcity:

The price of gold is also determined by the demand and supply globally. For instance, 24 carat is 100% pure gold, while 22 carat is 91.67% pure gold, and rest 8.33% is other metals like silver, zinc, nickel, or other alloys. Further, 18 carat is 75% pure gold and 25% other alloys.

So when mining of these metals slows or becomes costlier, the supply takes a hit. And when supply is impacted, the prices of gold will eventually accelerate.

7. Investment Demand:

Days are gone when Indians relied on gold for investment. Today, the market is vast and offers various options to invest in gold without actually needing to hold the physical yellow bar or jewelry. These are called digital golds, including Gold ETFs (exchange-traded funds), sovereign gold bonds, and other gold mutual funds.

When there is huge demand for digital gold, the prices of physical gold also rally.

Additionally, the central bank would buy gold to balance its foreign exchange reserves. So when countries apex banks start to increase their gold stocks, it sends a message that gold is valuable.

8. Market Mood & Speculation:

Market mood also plays a role in driving gold, either for the upside or downside. If traders believe that the Fed is going to hike rates, they may not find gold attractive. But if they believe inflation is falling, the dollar is weak or the Fed is going to cut rates, or there is a recession, their sentiment to buy gold rises.

9. GST & Custom Duty:

It's been nearly two years since the Indian government reduced the total customs duty on the import of gold to 6% from 15%. Also, the duty on gold ore imports was brought down to 5.35% from 14.35%. Meanwhile, platinum and silver bars also recorded a sharp decline in their duty to 6.4% and 6%, respectively. The decline in customs duty usually makes gold cheaper.

The current GST rate on the value of gold is 3%, which is a combination of 1.5% CGST and 1.5% SGST. This is applicable to all types of gold, such as jewellery, coins, and bars. There is an even higher GST rate on gold jewellery making charges to the tune of 5%. Additionally, there is a separate 3% GST rate imposed on custom-made jewelleries.

10. Making Charges:

In India, making charges for gold jewelry encompasses the cost of transforming raw gold into finished pieces. This includes designing, conceptualizing, and crafting the jewelry. Prices differ across shops and cities due to these charges. Typically, a city's association sets daily gold prices. However, common factors like taxes and purity ensure no drastic price differences.

Who Decides Gold Prices?

The daily change in gold rates of India is determined by the trend in global markets, fluctuations in currencies, and economic conditions.

In general terms, the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) fixed benchmark prices. But major exchanges like COMEX drive global rates.

At home, the Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA) sets daily gold rates, tracking international prices, forex exchange rates, and local demand-supply conditions.

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