India’s Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has indicated that a major and comprehensive reform in the country’s customs rules is coming soon. This change may bring relief to travelers coming to India from abroad—especially the UAE—especially the NRI community, who have been demanding an update to the archaic and impractical gold jewelery limit for years.
“Complete overhaul of customs system is necessary” – Sitharaman
Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit held in New Delhi, the Minister said:
“Customs processes need to be made much simpler and transparent, so that they do not seem cumbersome and tedious.”
This comment has come at a time when thousands of NRIs settled in UAE are continuously filing complaints regarding the stringent and outdated rules on gold jewellery.
Why has it become necessary to change the gold duty-free rule?
Gold price in India: around ₹13,000/gram
Gold price in Dubai: Dh 508/gram
The current rules are from 2016, when the price of gold was much lower.
Today’s rules:
Passenger Weight Maximum Value Male 20 grams ₹50,000 Female 40 grams ₹1 lakh
But at these prices now
✔ Jewelery actually covers only 20–30%.
✔ The quantity reduces by about 70% once the making charges are added.
Because of this, even normal and everyday jewelery gets stuck in customs checks.
“I get stopped at the airport every time”—Experience of Dubai resident Khushboo Jain
Referring to the recent investigation at Mumbai airport, Khushboo said:
“While pushing the stoller, the officer noticed the bangle on my wrist and stopped me.”
He was asked to show old photos.
According to him the questions were unnecessary and personal in nature.
Once they were taken to a private room, each piece was weighed individually.
“Now I keep photos and receipts of every piece of jewelery in my phone, I am starting to feel scared.”
“Even costume jewelery was stopped, mistaking it for real” – Jumeirah resident Manasi Bajaj
Mansi said:
She was going from Dubai to Chandigarh, there was costume jewelery in the bag.
He had to endure 45 minutes of interrogation.
His UAE dirham was stopped in Nagpur mistaking it for “gold coin”.
Matters are more strict at smaller airports.
The concerns of Dubai resident Shreya Rai, who is preparing to go to Delhi, are clear:
“Cousin is getting married, but I am scared of taking the gold.
“Customs inquiries are the biggest stressor when traveling with young girls.”
Thousands of families coming to India from UAE are in the same dilemma-
Follow tradition or take a risk?
The 2016 limit no longer matches economic reality.
Gold jewelery is an important part of Indian culture, festivals and weddings.
These rules are also becoming a hindrance in the goal of increasing tourism, NRI weddings and gold economy.
NRI groups have formally demanded the government to create clear, practical and modern guidelines.
Sitharaman’s comments indicate that:
✔ There may be a big review on the duty-free gold jewelery limit.
✔ The discretion of customs officers can be limited and clarified.
✔ A uniform, fair and easy system can be created for NRI travellers.
✔ Surveillance may increase on unnecessary inquiries and arbitrary investigations.