India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has signalled a “complete overhaul” of customs rules governing personal jewellery, raising hopes among the UAE’s 3.5 million-strong Indian expat community that long-criticised duty-free limits will be revised before the 2026 wedding season.
Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit on 8 December 2025, the minister said existing thresholds – 20 g of gold worth ₹50,000 for men and 40 g worth ₹100,000 for women – are “out of sync with economic reality.” Rising gold prices and stricter airport checks have seen a spike in detentions of Gulf passengers carrying family heirlooms.
![Indian customs overhaul could ease gold-carrying limits for UAE NRIs]()
UAE-based diaspora groups have lodged formal petitions urging New Delhi to align allowances with market rates and to introduce a digital self-declaration portal similar to Dubai’s ‘iDeclare’. The proposed reforms could slash clearance times at Indian airports and reduce the paperwork burden for NRIs shuttling between Dubai and major Indian metros.
Travel-management companies expect a measurable uptick in leisure and VFR (visiting-friends-and-relatives) traffic if the rules are relaxed. Corporates will also benefit, as employee relocation shipments frequently include jewellery for cultural events. However, until new regulations are gazetted, mobility advisers recommend meticulous documentation – purchase receipts, photographs and appraisal certificates – to avoid seizures and fines.
Should India adopt higher limits, airlines may see a surge in excess-value declarations and demand for secure-bag services, creating ancillary-revenue opportunities on DXB–India routes.
Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit on 8 December 2025, the minister said existing thresholds – 20 g of gold worth ₹50,000 for men and 40 g worth ₹100,000 for women – are “out of sync with economic reality.” Rising gold prices and stricter airport checks have seen a spike in detentions of Gulf passengers carrying family heirlooms.
UAE-based diaspora groups have lodged formal petitions urging New Delhi to align allowances with market rates and to introduce a digital self-declaration portal similar to Dubai’s ‘iDeclare’. The proposed reforms could slash clearance times at Indian airports and reduce the paperwork burden for NRIs shuttling between Dubai and major Indian metros.
Travel-management companies expect a measurable uptick in leisure and VFR (visiting-friends-and-relatives) traffic if the rules are relaxed. Corporates will also benefit, as employee relocation shipments frequently include jewellery for cultural events. However, until new regulations are gazetted, mobility advisers recommend meticulous documentation – purchase receipts, photographs and appraisal certificates – to avoid seizures and fines.
Should India adopt higher limits, airlines may see a surge in excess-value declarations and demand for secure-bag services, creating ancillary-revenue opportunities on DXB–India routes.
