No Rupee limit, only weight limit on bringing jewellery from abroad by returning Indians, more baggage-related relaxations

Feb 3, 2026

Synopsis
India's New Baggage Rules 2026 have removed value caps on jewellery brought by returning residents and tourists of Indian origin, now only imposing weight limits of 40 grams for females and 20 grams for others. These revised rules also increase duty-free allowances for various passenger categories, reflecting current travel realities.

Bringing jewellery to India while travelling from abroad has become easier for residents and tourists of Indian origin as the government has removed value caps. Under the New Baggage Rules 2026 that were announced in the Budget 2026 and came into effect on February 2, 2026, the government has retained just the weight limit on such jewellery, removing the value limit notified in the 2016 Baggage Rules.

Not just that, the government has also revised rules related to duty-free allowances for residents, tourists of Indian origin/foreign origin, foreigners with a valid visa card (other than tourist visa) and crew members.

What are the latest jewellery-related rules in New Baggage Rules 2026?

Special allowances for jewellery have been prescribed solely on weight basis by removing value caps. After the rule change, eligible returning residents/tourists of Indian origin (after staying abroad for more than one year), are allowed duty-free jewellery purely on a weight basis. The limits are as follows-

Females: up to 40 grams;

Other than females: up to 20 grams

Which jewellery baggage rules have been replaced?

Rachit Jain, executive partner, Lakshmikumaran and Sridharan Attorneys, explains-

Earlier, a passenger residing abroad for more than one year was permitted duty‑free clearance of jewellery in bona fide baggage subject to both weight and value caps, 20 grams up to Rs 50,000 for a gentleman passenger, and 40 grams up to Rs 1,00,000 for a lady passenger.

Do these limits apply only on gold jewellery or all types of jewellery items?

The Ministry of Finance that has formed the new baggage rules didn’t mention gold jewellery in its notification of the baggage rules. The new rules are for all types of jewellery items.

However, the removal of the value limit will be suitable for those who are bringing gold jewellery to India.

For example, the earlier limits on all types of jewellery, including gold, were Rs 1 lakh or up to 40 grams. The earlier rules were formed in the year 2016 when the gold price was hovering around Rs 30,000. Gold prices since then have seen an extraordinary surge in India and abroad.

On April 1, 2016, gold was priced at Rs 29,080 per 10 grams on the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX). Fast forward to February 2, 2026, and gold prices on MCX have touched Rs 1,43,926 per 10 grams.

This marks an absolute increase of Rs 1,14,846, translating into a massive 393.93% rise in just under 10 years.

In Rs 1 lakh, one can’t purchase even 10 grams gold today, let alone 40 grams.

Other new baggage rules

Here’s a breakdown of how much duty-free allowance you can claim under different categories.

The revised rules enhance duty-free allowances in line with present-day travel realities, by revising entitlements for different passenger categories. The revised allowances for different categories are given below-

Check duty-free allowance depending on passenger

Resident: Duty-free allowance is increased to Rs 75,000 from Rs 50,000

Tourist of Indian origin: Rs 75,000/-

Foreigner with a valid visa, other than tourist visa: Rs 75,000/-

Tourist of foreign origin: Rs 25,000/-

Crew Members: Rs 2,500/-

Note that passengers arriving by land borders do not have any general duty-free allowances.

Jain says for general duty‑free baggage, the earlier rules were dependent on the passenger’s country of arrival, Rs 50,000 from most countries, but only Rs 15,000 from Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar, and Rs 15,000 for foreign tourists.

"The new rules simplify this into passenger-category based slabs: Rs 75,000 for residents/tourists of Indian origin and eligible non‑tourist visa holders arriving other than by land, and Rs 25,000 for foreign tourists, with land arrivals limited to used personal effects," says Jain.

Consolidated concessions

The government has incorporated duty-free import of one laptop (for passengers above 18 years) and pets into the new baggage rules.

[The Economic Times]