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The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is examining the regulatory framework and infrastructure readiness required to make hallmarking of silver jewellery and artefacts mandatory, Director General Sanjay Garg said on Thursday. Silver hallmarking has been voluntary since 2005 and from September 2025 onwards, hallmarked silver articles carry a Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number, enabling buyers to verify purity. "Silver hallmarking is far more complex than gold, not in terms of process but the kind of market it has," Garg told PTI on the sidelines of a Ficci event here. Unlike gold, silver jewellery and artefacts are sold across both small and large stores, and the category even extends to silver furniture, he noted. "We are studying the implementation process," he said. According to Garg, the entire hallmarking operation within BIS is run by just five people, with the rest of the workforce either private or outsourced. "Operating hallmarking centres with the help of privat
Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday said the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) should consider implementing mandatory hallmarking for silver and silver artifacts following consumer demands. "There is a demand from consumers for hallmarking of silver. You (BIS) can deliberate and take a call," Joshi said at the 78th BIS Foundation Day event. The government currently mandates hallmarking only for gold jewellery and artifacts, aimed at protecting consumer interests and ensuring product authenticity. The existing hallmarking system includes a unique six-digit alphanumeric code (HUID), which certifies gold purity. The potential extension to silver hallmarking would mark a significant expansion of India's precious metals quality control measures.