Bullion Intelligence Suite

Aura Bullion provides continuous real-time benchmarks for 24 Karat (999 pure fine gold), 22 Karat (916 standard hallmarked jewellery), and 18 Karat (750 studded jewellery) per 10 grams in Indian Rupees (INR). Our prices synthesize live COMEX international spot prices, USD/INR exchange rates, domestic MCX futures, and All India Bullion (AIB Mumbai Zaveri Bazaar) physical delivery benchmarks factoring in the statutory 6% basic customs duty + 1% AIDC + 3% GST.

Under the active statutory framework, the Basic Customs Duty (BCD) on gold and silver is 6%, alongside 1% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC), bringing basic customs taxation to 7%. When imported, 3% Goods and Services Tax (GST) is levied on the CIF + duty value (effective total ~9.27%). Including SEBI/DGFT statutory clearance and physical bar premiums (2.5% on gold, 5% on silver), the total effective landed tax burden over international COMEX spot is approximately 17.15% to 18.20%.

24 Karat (999 Fine): Contains 99.9% pure elemental gold. Because pure gold is ductile and soft, it is cast exclusively into investment-grade bars, minted coins (MMTC-PAMP, RSBL), and institutional bullion.
22 Karat (916 Standard): Contains 91.6% pure gold alloyed with 8.4% copper and silver for tensile strength, making it the mandatory Indian standard for durable jewellery. Every piece must carry the official Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) hallmark and a unique 6-digit alphanumeric HUID (Hallmark Unique Identification) code traceable via the BIS Care app.

The Gold-to-Silver Ratio represents how many ounces (or grams) of silver are required to purchase one ounce of gold. The historical 30-year average is approximately 65:1. When the ratio stretches above 80:1 (or 85:1), silver is fundamentally undervalued relative to gold, signaling an institutional rotation opportunity to accumulate 999 fine physical silver kilobars. When the ratio mean-reverts back toward 60-65:1, investors rotate silver capital back into 24K gold bars, achieving 15% to 25% excess metal ounces without putting fresh capital at risk.

• Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB): Highest annual yield. Issued by RBI with a 2.50% semi-annual interest coupon, zero making charges, zero storage cost, and complete capital gains tax exemption if held to the 8-year maturity. Tradeable on NSE/BSE secondary markets at discounts.
• Physical Gold Bars (BIS 999): Sovereign-independent asset with zero counterparty risk and immediate liquidity during systemic banking distress.
• Digital Gold: Incurs 3% GST upon entry, 3-5% buy-sell spreads, and mandatory custodian locker charges after 3 to 5 years, making physical bars or SGBs superior for long-term compounding.

Under current statutory provisions, the holding period for Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) on physical gold, silver, and gold ETFs/mutual funds is unified to 24 months (2 years). LTCG is taxed at a flat rate of 12.5% without indexation benefits. Short-Term Capital Gains (STCG) for assets held under 24 months are added to total taxable income and taxed at the investor's applicable income tax slab rate. Sovereign Gold Bonds held until statutory maturity remain 100% exempt from capital gains tax.

Total estimated jewellery bill is computed as: [Base Metal Purity Rate × Gross Weight] + Making Charges (typically 8% to 18% based on craftsmanship intricacy) + 3% GST on (Metal Value + Making Charges). For pure wealth preservation, investors should opt for cast bullion bars (MMTC-PAMP / RSBL 999) with minimal 2.0% - 2.5% minting premiums rather than wearable jewellery where making charges cannot be recovered on liquidation.