Indian expats in the UAE and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) worldwide have welcomed a major policy change announced in India’s Union Budget 2026, which removes the value cap on duty-free gold jewellery brought into the country.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the revised Customs Baggage Rules, 2026, easing long-standing restrictions that many expats had described as outdated and impractical. Under the new rules, female passengers of Indian origin are allowed to carry up to 40 grams of gold jewellery, while male passengers can bring 20 grams, duty-free — with no monetary value limit attached.
Earlier regulations imposed value ceilings of Rs100,000 for women and Rs50,000 for men, often leading to disputes, penalties and confusion at Indian airports due to fluctuating gold prices. With the removal of the value cap, only the weight limit now applies.
The Indian Ministry of Finance has issued official notifications through the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIT), confirming that the revised rules came into effect from February 2, 2026. Customs officials at Kochi and other major airports have acknowledged receiving the directives.
The revised rules apply to Indian residents or tourists of Indian origin who have lived abroad for more than one year and are arriving in India by air or sea. Jewellery includes articles of personal adornment made of gold, silver or platinum, with or without precious stones.
The move follows years of appeals from Indian expat organisations in the Gulf, including the Indian Association Sharjah, which highlighted repeated harassment of genuine travellers under the old value-based system.
