(IDEX Online) - India's government is facing mounting pressure to reduce import duties on diamonds and precious metals to boost the jewelry industry's pandemic recovery.
Manufacturers currently pay levies of 7.5 per cent on polished diamonds and 12.5 per cent on gold, silver and platinum.
"Duty reduction will boost the recovery, and help the industry, which is already a mega-employer, to generate additional jobs, said Colin Shah (pictured), chairman of the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC).
He's urging the finance ministry to reduce the levies when it presents its 2021/2 budget, expected to be on 1 February.
He said lowering the duty on precious metals to four per cent could free up an estimated $95m.
Duty on polished diamonds has twice been raised since 2018, when it was 2.5 per cent, and now stands at 7.5 per cent, far higher than Belgium and Israel.
Source: IDEX 14-12-2020
