How much gold can Indians bring from Dubai as West Asia war sparks gold rush?

Amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Dubai is offering gold at massive discounts while prices have surged to record highs of around Rs 1,60,000 per 10 grams. Indians are therefore looking at importing the safe-haven metal from the United Arab Emirates. Here are the laws and taxes levied by Indian authorities if you are looking to bring gold from Dubai.

For years, Indian passengers were restricted by a dual cap on gold jewellery: a specific weight limit and a rigid rupee value limit. Under the old 2016 rules, a woman could bring 40 grams of gold, but only if its value did not exceed Rs 1,00,000. As gold prices hover around Rs 1,50,000 per 10 grams in 2026, that old value cap effectively criminalised anyone carrying more than 7 grams of gold.

The Baggage Rules 2026 have officially abolished these value caps. For eligible passengers (Indian residents or tourists of Indian origin who have resided abroad for more than one year), the duty-free allowance is now governed strictly by weight:

Female passengers: 40 grams of gold jewellery

Male passengers: 20 grams of gold jewellery

Children (under 15): 40 grams of gold jewellery

This change means a female passenger can now carry jewellery worth approximately Rs 6,00,000 entirely duty-free, provided it stays within the 40-gram limit. “Jewellery” under these rules includes ornaments made of gold, silver, or platinum, including those studded with precious stones.

Strict regulations for raw Gold

While jewellery rules have been relaxed, the stance on raw gold remains stringent.

If you have been abroad for less than one year, you must include any new jewellery within your General Free Allowance (now Rs 75,000 for Indian residents).

Gold bars, coins, and biscuits carry no duty-free allowance

Whether you are carrying a 1-gram coin or a 100-gram bar, it must be declared at the airport’s Red Channel. The duty structure for raw gold is tiered based on your stay abroad:

Concessional rate (stay more than six months): Eligible passengers can bring up to 1 kg of gold by paying a concessional duty of approximately 6% (comprising 5% Basic Customs Duty and 1% AIDC). This must be paid in convertible foreign currency.

Standard rate (stay less than six months): Short-term travellers or those who do not meet the residency requirement are charged a much higher “hand baggage” rate, typically around 38.5%.

Compliance and Digital Declaration

To speed up clearances, the Ministry of Finance has integrated these rules with the ATITHI mobile app. Passengers are encouraged to file a digital declaration before landing. Upon arrival, those with items to declare must proceed to the Red Channel.

It is vital to carry original purchase invoices for all gold items. Failure to declare gold exceeding the weight limits, or any amount of raw gold, can lead to severe consequences, including heavy fines, seizure of the metal, and prosecution under the Customs Act, 1962.