DGFT restricts import of precious metal alloys with over 1% gold and colloidal metal compounds
On 17 June 2025, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade in New Delhi issued notifications restricting imports of palladium, rhodium and iridium alloys containing more than 1% gold, and of colloidal metals and compounds under CTH 2843.
Summary
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued Notification No. 18/2025-26 dated 17 June 2025, restricting imports of alloys of palladium, rhodium and iridium containing more than 1% gold by weight. It extends the earlier restriction on platinum (Notification No. 60/2024-25 of 5 March 2025) to the entire Customs Tariff Heading (CTH) 7110 at the 4-digit level. Alloys with less than 1% gold remain freely importable for industries such as electronics and auto components. Notification No. 19/2025-26 of the same date restricts imports of colloidal metals and compounds under CTH 2843, to stop gold being imported in the garb of chemical compounds; industrial users can import against an authorisation.
Key facts
- Notification 18/2025-26
- 17 June 2025: restricts import of palladium, rhodium, iridium alloys with >1% gold
- Coverage
- Entire CTH 7110 at 4-digit level (platinum restricted earlier, 5 March 2025)
- Notification 19/2025-26
- 17 June 2025: restricts import of colloidal metals and compounds under CTH 2843
- Free import
- Alloys with less than 1% gold
- DGFT (static)
- Directorate under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry that issues import policy notifications (PIB)
Practice MCQs 3 questions
DGFT Notification No. 18/2025-26 dated 17 June 2025 restricts the import of alloys of which metals containing more than 1% gold?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — Palladium, Rhodium and Iridium
PIB (Commerce): The notification restricts import of alloys of Palladium, Rhodium, and Iridium containing more than 1% gold by weight.
Under the DGFT notifications of 17 June 2025, alloys containing what share of gold by weight remain freely importable?
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Correct answer: C — Less than 1%
PIB (Commerce): The policy allows free import of alloys containing less than 1% gold.
With DGFT Notification No. 18/2025-26, the import restriction on precious metal alloys now covers which entire Customs Tariff Heading at the 4-digit level?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — CTH 7110
PIB (Commerce): The measure expands the platinum restriction to include the entire Customs Tariff Heading (CTH) 7110 at the 4-digit level; CTH 2843 is the separate colloidal metals heading.