Centre Eyes Mandatory Silver Hallmarking Amid Price Surge, Boosts Consumer Protection

• Centre exploring mandatory hallmarking for silver jewellery and artefacts to strengthen consumer protection.
• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) assessing regulatory and infrastructure needs, including testing capacity and assaying standards.
• Currently, silver hallmarking is voluntary, unlike gold, but uptake of HUID-marked silver articles is rising.
• Move driven by sharp increase in silver prices and growing retail and investment demand for the metal.
• No fixed timeline yet; consultations with industry stakeholders and infrastructure upgrades are required before final decision.

Why It Matters: India plans mandatory silver hallmarking to protect consumers and standardize purity amid rising prices.