Gold Loan Industry Seeks Deferment of New RBI Norms Amid Geopolitical Uncertainty

• The Association of Gold Loan Companies (AGLOC) requests a six-month deferment of RBI's revised gold and silver lending guidelines.
• New norms are scheduled for implementation by April 1, 2026, aiming to strengthen regulatory frameworks.
• AGLOC cites emerging geopolitical uncertainty, particularly the Middle East conflict, and risks to credit access.
• Disruptions in energy supply, inflationary pressures, and impact on household/small business cash flows are concerns.
• Gold loans play a counter-cyclical role, providing liquidity to lower and middle-income segments during volatility.