Business
How Much Tax Is Applicable On Gold, Silver Gains? Know Tax Rates, ETF Rules And TDS
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Whether you invest in physical forms such as jewellery, coins, or bars, or through paper and digital modes like ETFs or Sovereign Gold Bonds, your gains are taxable.
Tax on Gold and Silver Gains.
Tax on Gold and Silver Gains: Gold prices have surged over 60% in the past year, while silver has doubled during the period, accruing gains for investors. However, gold, like any other asset class, also attracts capital gains tax on sale. Whether you invest in physical forms such as jewellery, coins, or bars, or through paper and digital modes like Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) or Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs), your profits are taxable. Here’s all you need to know:
Here’s a detailed look at how gains on gold and silver are taxed in India, along with the rules for ETFs and TDS applicability.
1. Tax on Physical Gold and Silver
When you sell gold or silver (jewellery, coins, or bars), any profit you make is treated as a capital gain. The tax depends on the holding period.
Short-Term Capital Gains (STCG): Returns from gold held for less than 24 months are termed short-term capital gains, according to cleartax.in.
Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG): If you sell the asset after 24 months, the profit qualifies as long-term capital gains and is taxed at 12.5%. Also, if it was purchased on or after July 23, 2024, the same will be taxed at 12.5% without the indexation benefit. But, if purchased before July 23, 2024, investors can also avail indexation benefit with a 20% tax.
2. Tax on Gold and Silver ETFs
Gold and Silver Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are treated similarly to physical holdings for tax purposes.
Held for less than 24 months: Gains are considered short-term and taxed as per your income tax slab.
Held for more than 24 months: Gains qualify as long-term and are taxed at 12.5%.
3. Tax on Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs)
Sovereign Gold Bonds, issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), have a unique tax structure:
Interest Income: The annual interest (2.5%) paid on SGBs is taxable under ‘Income from Other Sources’ as per your income tax slab.
Capital Gains: If you hold the bonds till maturity (8 years), the capital gains are fully exempt from tax.
However, if you redeem them before maturity, after the 5th year, or sell them in the secondary market, LTCG at 12.5% applies.
4. Digital Gold and Silver
Many investors today buy “digital gold” or “digital silver” through fintech apps. The tax treatment is the same as physical gold —
Less than 24 months: Taxed as per slab (STCG).
More than 24 months: Taxed at 12.5% (LTCG).
5. Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) Rules
TDS applies when you sell physical gold or silver above certain limits or make large purchases:
On Sale: If you sell gold or silver worth more than Rs 50 lakh in a financial year to a buyer required to deduct tax (like a jeweller), TDS of 1% may be deducted on the sale consideration.
On Purchase: From July 1, 2021, if you buy gold worth more than Rs 10 lakh in cash, TDS/TCS (Tax Collected at Source) of 1% applies, and PAN/Aadhaar details are mandatory.
6. Gifts and Inherited Gold or Silver
If you receive gold or silver as a gift, it is taxable if the total value of gifts received during the financial year exceeds Rs 50,000, unless received from a relative or on occasions like marriage.
If you inherit gold or silver, no tax is payable at the time of inheritance. However, when you sell it later, capital gains tax applies based on the original cost of acquisition to the previous owner.
It is important to note that a 3% GST is applicable on gold purchases, apart from making charges and a 5% tax on that.
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h…Read More
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h… Read More
October 22, 2025, 16:46 IST
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Business
Lesson from China’s export restrictions: India eyes fertilizer plant project in Russia; aim to protect against supply shocks – The Times of India
Indian fertiliser companies are preparing to set up a urea manufacturing facility in Russia, a move that is likely to be announced during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in December. This would be India’s first fertiliser venture in Russia.The plant will use Russia’s abundant ammonia and natural gas reserves, ensuring a stable supply of this key agricultural input and reducing India’s reliance on volatile global prices, according to a report by ET.State-owned Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) and National Fertilisers Ltd (NFL), along with government-backed Indian Potash Ltd (IPL), have signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Russian partners to begin planning the project, the report said.The plant is expected to produce over 2 million tonnes of urea annually. Negotiations are ongoing on land allocation, natural gas, ammonia pricing and transportation logistics.India depends largely on imports of raw materials like ammonia and natural gas for its domestic fertilizer production.The Russian facility is expected to shield India from future price shocks and supply disruptions. It will also strengthen economic ties between the two countries, which already collaborate in energy, defence and agribusiness.The project comes after India faced an acute fertiliser shortage during this year’s kharif (monsoon) season, when China temporarily halted exports of urea and other nutrients.The disruption forced India to seek supplies from other markets at higher costs, raising concerns about food production.Demand for fertilizers has gone up due to well-distributed monsoon rains. Consequently, nutrient-rich crops like maize are being grown by farmers.During the winter season, the need for urea increases even further for rabi crops such as wheat.In order to keep fertilisers accessible and affordable for farmers, they are regulated and subsidised in India, contributing to food security. The burden of government subsidies rises as global prices rise.The initial budget of Rs 1.68 lakh crore was increased to Rs 1.92 lakh crore for FY25 for the Department of Fertilisers. India’s domestic urea production hit a record 31.4 million tonnes in FY24.Despite these efforts, India still relies heavily on imports for raw materials and is the second-largest user as well as the third-largest producer of fertilizers globally.
Workers at a leading defence and aerospace company are set to go on strike in November in a dispute over pay.
Unite says more than 3000 workers at Leonardo UK’s facilities in Scotland and England will walk out after the company refused to improve its pay offer.
The company is involved in a number of defence projects, with its site in Edinburgh producing advanced radars for military aircraft.
Workers at Leonardo’s Edinburgh and Newcastle sites will strike between November 5 and 6, then again between November 10 and 18.
At the Yeovil, Luton and Basildon sites, workers will strike between November 5 and 6, then again between November 12 and 13.
Union officials said staff were refused a better deal after declining the initial offer of 3.2%, which the union said represents a real-terms pay cut.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members are highly skilled and work on critical defence and aerospace systems, yet are being short-changed by a company making billions.
“Leonardo has had ample opportunity to do the right thing and make a decent offer that our members could have accepted. Instead, they have refused and will now see the anger of our members on the picket line outside their factories.
“This is a dispute entirely of their own making and our members will have the full support of Unite in their fight for decent pay.”
Leonardo UK has been approached for comment.
Business
‘India won’t sign any trade deal with a gun to head’: Piyush Goyal’s clear message amid talks with US, EU; ‘will reject restrictive conditions’ – The Times of India
At a time when India is engaged with the US and European Union for trade talks, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal has made it clear that no trade deal will be signed in a hurry. “We are in active dialogue with the EU. We are talking to the US, but we do not do deals in a hurry and we do not do deals with deadlines or with a gun to our head,” Goyal said at the Berlin Global Dialogue according to a Reuters report. Goyal said that India will not rush into any trade deals. He also said that any conditions that may be set by partner countries that restrict India’s trading options will be rejected.
The EU-India free trade agreement discussions continue, but there are unresolved matters concerning market accessibility, environmental protocols, and origin regulations. These negotiations have been ongoing for an extended period.Also Read | Trump’s sanctions on Russian oil: How Reliance, Nayara Energy earnings will be hit – explainedAlongside these talks, India is also actively pursuing trade deal discussions with several countries, including the United StatesGoyal’s comments come at a time when India is facing pressure from the Donald Trump administration and the European Union for its continued purchases of Russian crude oil. The US has imposed 50% tariffs on Indian exports to America, 25% of which are penal duties for India’s crude oil trade with Russia.The European Union, United Kingdom and United States are urging New Delhi to reduce its imports of Russian crude at discounted rates, which Western countries allege supports Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine.India has shown openness to procure US energy and diversify its crude basket, but has been firm on its right to decide the source of crude oil purchases based on the interests of Indian consumers.US President Donald Trump has claimed that PM Narendra Modi has committed to reducing Russian crude oil trade, but no official word on the same has come from India’s side. Meanwhile, Trump has this week imposed sanctions on two major Russian crude suppliers – Rosneft and Lukoil – a move that may eventually force China and India to reduce their procurement of Russian oil.Also Read | No oil from Russia soon? Trump sanctions to hit India’s crude imports; ‘all but impossible for flows to continue’
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