BIS Hallmarking in 2026: Silver HUID, Image Capture, and What Comes Next

As of February 2026, India's hallmarking system is at an inflection point. With 58 crore gold articles hallmarked, 373 districts under mandatory coverage, and silver HUID hallmarking launched, BIS is now pursuing several initiatives that could significantly expand the system's scope and capabilities.

Silver Hallmarking: From Voluntary to Mandatory?

HUID-based silver hallmarking launched as a voluntary programme on 1 September 2025 under the revised IS 2112:2025 standard. The response has been strong: over 17 lakh silver articles were registered in the first three months, and 230 AHCs across 87 districts are now recognised for silver testing.

BIS Director General Pramod Kumar Tiwari stated that the voluntary phase would be assessed over six months, with a decision on mandatory silver hallmarking expected by Q1–Q2 2026. If implemented, mandatory silver hallmarking would bring India's Rs 1.5 lakh crore silver jewellery market under formal purity certification.

The Image and Weight Capture Pilot

In early 2026, BIS launched a pilot project in 25 hallmarking centres to capture the image and weight of each jewellery article alongside its HUID. The captured data is linked to the HUID record in the BIS database.

The purpose is fraud prevention: if the weight and image are recorded, duplicate or counterfeit HUIDs become significantly harder to create. A consumer verifying a HUID through the BIS Care app could potentially see a photograph of the actual article — providing visual confirmation in addition to purity data.

The pilot will be assessed after completion, with a possible nationwide rollout depending on the results and feedback from hallmarking centres.

Silver Jewellers' Meets

BIS has been conducting regional Silver Jewellers' Meets across India to engage the silver trade directly. On 13 February 2026, a meet in Salem brought together 60–65 participants from the Silver Jewellers Association, manufacturers, retailers, and AHCs. Discussions focused on the challenges faced by the silver industry, standardisation of grades, and consumer protection.

These meets serve dual purposes: gathering industry feedback before potentially mandating silver hallmarking, and building awareness and readiness among silver jewellers.

Mandatory Bullion Hallmarking

Plans to mandate hallmarking of gold bullion at the refinery level continue to advance. An advisory committee under BIS DG has been formed, and draft guidelines have been prepared. Currently, 46 BIS-licensed refineries can voluntarily hallmark gold bullion of 999 and 995 fineness, but a mandatory requirement would significantly change the refinery industry.

9-Karat Gold in the Regime

Following Amendment No. 2 to IS 1417:2016 in July 2025, 9-karat gold (375 fineness) is now part of the mandatory hallmarking regime. This brings lightweight fashion jewellery and certain export-adjacent products under the purity certification framework for the first time.

Infrastructure Continues to Expand

The hallmarking infrastructure now includes approximately 1,603 regular AHCs, 109 offsite centres, and 46 licensed refineries and mints. BIS continues to accept applications for new centres, particularly in underserved districts. The total number of registered jewellers stands at approximately 1,94,000.

What to Watch

The key developments to monitor in 2026:

Mandatory silver hallmarking decision — expected in the first half of 2026, this would be the biggest expansion of India's hallmarking scope since mandatory gold hallmarking began in 2021.

Image-and-weight capture rollout — if the pilot succeeds, nationwide implementation would create the world's most comprehensive piece-level jewellery verification system.

Gold bullion mandatory hallmarking — implementation would bring the entire supply chain, from refinery to retail, under BIS quality certification.

Vienna Convention accession — full membership would enable Indian hallmarked jewellery to be accepted in over 20 countries without re-testing.

India's hallmarking system has come a long way from its voluntary beginnings in 2000. The trajectory is clear: toward comprehensive, digitally verified, mandatory purity certification for every precious metal article sold in the country.