Govt to adopt wait and watch approach on increasing gold imports

17 Dec 2014 Evaluate

Amid rising concern over six-fold rise in gold imports in November, Commerce Ministry has stated that the government will adopt a wait and watch stand and take a call at appropriate time. Last month, the government abolished 80:20 rule that required importers to export one-fifth of the imported gold.

Commerce Secretary Rajeev Kher has asserted that big rise in gold imports is a matter of concern however the government will consider next month trade data before examining the impact of detached 80:20 rule. Gold imports shot up by 571 per cent to $5.6 billion in November from $0.83 billion a year earlier. 

Merchandise imports also grew at a faster clip in November due to a sudden spike in the import of gold. India’s imports during November rose by 26.79% y-o-y to $42.82 billion. Owing to high imports, trade deficit during November widened to around double on annual bias. India’s trade deficit widened to 18-month high of $16.86 billion in month of November, as compared to $9.57 in the same month previous year and $13.36 billion in the previous month October. Rising trade deficit over the past two month has been exerting pressure on country’s external sector as well as domestic currency. The Indian rupee slumped to a 13-month low of 63.53 per dollar on December 16. 

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