Govt eases conditions for silver import

New Delhi: The government on Wednesday eased the norms for import of certain kinds of silver. While the imports remain restricted and allowed only through nominated agencies as notified by Reserve Bank of India and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the government has exempted import of silver under Advance Authorisation and supply of silver directly by foreign buyers to exporters against export orders.

Advance authorisation is issued to allow duty free import of inputs, which is physically incorporated in export product.

“Import of Silver under Advance Authorisation and supply of silver directly by foreign buyers to exporters…against export orders are exempted,” DGFT said in a notification.


The changed conditions are applicable to silver powder, plates and sheets, and unwrought silver, among others. India imported $2.5 billion of silver in these forms in the April-January period.

As per the Foreign Trade Policy, foreign buyer may supply in advance and free of charge, gold, silver, platinum, alloys, findings and mountings of these metals for manufacture and export where export orders are placed on nominated agencies or exporters of three years standing having an annual average turnover of Rs 5 crore in preceding three financial years. Such supplies can also be in advance and may involve semi-finished jewellery including components for repairs, re-make and export subject to minimum value addition norms.