BIS to scale up silver hallmarking testing as buyers shift from costly gold
Since 2005, silver hallmarking has been voluntary, and from September 2025, it will include a Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number for purity verification
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is expanding its testing capabilities for silver jewellery as demand shifts away from gold due to rising prices, according to a senior BIS official. Starting September 2025, hallmarked silver articles will be accompanied by a unique Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number, allowing buyers to verify the purity of the piece.
In the past fiscal year, the number of silver jewellery articles hallmarked rose to 5.9 million, up from 3.2 million in the prior year. Currently, there are about 230 Assaying and Hallmarking Centres authorised by BIS to test silver jewellery. The regulator is set to expand referral and assay laboratories nationwide within the next two years to handle the increased demand.
BIS already operates 10 of its own laboratories across the country, backed by a larger network of recognised private and government labs under a Laboratory Recognition Scheme. The agency is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics to increase testing speed and improve accuracy.
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