Baggage Rules 2026: How much gold or silver jewellery can you bring without paying customs duty?

The Ministry of Finance has replaced the Baggage Rules 2016 with new rules. On Monday, February 2, the ministry notified the "Customs Baggage (Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2026".

According to RSM India, a tax and accounting firm, the new rules have introduced provisions for re-import and temporary import of articles of personal effects (other than used personal effects required for satisfying the daily necessities of life).

The limits on duty-free import of jewellery are as follows:

• Female passenger: up to a weight of 40 grams

• Other than a female passenger: up to a weight of 20 grams

The new baggage rules do not specifically mention gold or silver jewelry; they simply use the term "jewellery". This means that a female passenger can bring jewellery weighing up to 40 grams without paying any customs duty, and this jewellery may be of gold or silver. Similarly, a male passenger is allowed to bring jewellery weighing up to 20 grams without paying customs duty.

Passengers have to fill out the Indian Customs Declaration Form, providing details of items they are carrying, including jewellery. They are required to declare whether they are carrying any jewellery, which is beyond what is necessary for daily use or beyond the prescribed special allowance (as mentioned above) for eligible passengers. In case the weight of jewellery is above the prescribed duty-free limit, the traveller is required to declare the following:

• Total weight of personal jewellery (new/used):...

• Total weight of jewellery being carried including (i) above:...

More details about the Baggage Rules 2026

According to Finance Bill 2026, Baggage rules have been revised to

• Rationalise the baggage provisions

• Addressing passenger-related concerns at airports

• Resolution of interpretational issues

• Provide clarity in temporarily carriage of goods brought in or taken out to avoid unnecessary detention of goods

• Restructure transfer of Residence benefits for Indian residents and foreign professionals based on the duration of stay.

What are the duty-free limits for other items?

The Baggage Rules 2026 have also set the limits on duty-free allowances for other items like laptop, cigarettes, cigars, alcohol liquor or wine, while travelling from abroad to India.

According to the new rules, customs duty is leviable on the value of dutiable goods that is in excess of the duty-free allowance.

What are the prohibited items?

The following items are prohibited for travellers coming to India under the new baggage rules:

• Maps and literature where Indian external boundaries have been shown incorrectly;

• Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances;

• Goods violating any of the legally enforceable intellectual property rights;

• Wildlife products;

• Indian counterfeit currency notes or coin; and

• Specified live birds and animals.

The new baggage rules came into effect on February 2, 2026.