NRIs welcome India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement to reform its customs framework, demanded to focus on outdated gold jewellery duty-free limits affecting international travellers.
DUBAI: Indians living across the Middle East have responded positively to the announcement by Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman regarding the comprehensive overhaul of India’s customs framework. The announcement is being seen as a significant step towards addressing long-standing concerns faced by non-resident Indians (NRIs), especially in relation to the outdated duty-free gold jewellery limits at Indian airports.
Customs authorities are responsible for managing the movement of goods across borders, including personal items such as jewellery. The Brew News has previously highlighted the need for reforms, calling for an update to the duty-free gold allowance — a matter frequently raised by NRIs. Under the current customs guide, Indian citizens returning after living abroad for over a year may carry up to 20 grams of gold jewellery worth INR 50,000 for men, and up to 40 grams worth INR 1 lakh for women, without incurring duty charges. However, these valuations are no longer in sync with today’s high gold prices.
Dr. Sahitya Chaturvedi, Secretary General of the Indian Business & Professional Council (IBPC) Dubai and Auditor at Ajmal Group, welcomed the reform, stating that “the baggage allowance rules urgently need a revamp. He noted that NRIs have been dealing with outdated rules for years, and updating these limits demonstrates the government’s willingness to listen to its global citizens.
This renewed attention toward a long-pending issue has recently highlighted the urgency of revising the decade-old baggage allowance policies, particularly relating to gold. Despite the dramatic shifts in value, the monetary limits set in 2016 had remained unchanged for nearly a decade. The Ministry of Finance’s decision to review and update these regulations reflects the government’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and responsiveness to citizens’ concerns.”
Chandrashekhar, Chairman of the Global Business Forum, added that “the changes would bring much-needed relief to NRIs travelling for family functions or weddings. “It’s high time to revise the limit of duty-free gold jewellery carried by NRIs. We also urge Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to treat gold jewellery like any other commodity and establish a fixed allowance limit based on weight in grams, rather than tying it to fluctuating market prices.”
In the past, The Brew News also reported the incidents of harassment at Indian airports due to personal use of gold jewelry. Shazia Khan, an Indian residing in Saudi Arabia, shared her experience with customs officials demanding receipts or old photographs of the personal jewellery, labelling the requests as unreasonable. “No one carries receipts or photos of jewellery worn for years. This is used to harass travellers,” she said.
Despite an earlier ruling by the Delhi High Court that personal jewellery worn or inherited should not be treated as commercial goods, passengers continue to face challenges during airport screenings. The Finance Ministry’s decision to update these policies is widely seen as a commitment to fairness, transparency, and responsiveness to NRI concerns.
