Indian policy makers have long sought to curb their citizens’ rapacious appetite for imported gold — tonnes of which are believed to be stashed away under mattresses, in cupboards and in the hidden vaults of Hindu temples.

But after the failure of gold import bans, restrictions and high tariffs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration is trying a new tack to reduce India’s hunger for imported gold.

It is planning to launch a new scheme to try to entice institutions and individuals to deposit their gold holding with banks, in exchange for interest payments — which could even be tax-free.

By tapping into India’s vast treasure trove of domestic gold — which the World Gold Council estimates could be as much as 22,000 tonnes, New Delhi hopes to provide a domestic source of the precious metal for jewellers to meet growing demand for wedding ornaments, thus pruning the country’s import bill.

But there is a catch: gold depositors must consent to having their precious metal melted down and recycled, which may be acceptable to those holding gold biscuits or bullion but will deter those with sentimental attachment to their jewellery.

Though the scheme’s precise details are still being worked out, analysts say the government hopes to woo affluent families now keeping savings as gold bullion, or Hindu temples, many of which — like the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala — also have large stashes of gold donated by devotees, much of it biscuit or bullion form, hidden in their vaults.

“If you have sentimental reasons for attachment to the jewellery or its designs, then you are not the target audience for the scheme,” says Sonal Varma, chief India economist at Nomura. “It should be high net worth individuals, or middle-income households storing gold for investment. The temple trusts are also a primary target.”

Indians last year imported nearly 900 tonnes of gold — its second-largest import item after fuel. In 2013, India’s hunger for gold was blamed for the soaring current account deficit and heavy pressure on the currency, and prompted an attempted clampdown on imports. Restrictions have since been relaxed, and gold imports are again rising — up 78 per cent in value terms to $3.1bn year-on-year in April.

At least 65 per cent of gold imported into India is used to make jewellery for Indian brides, who wear the ornaments on their wedding day and then keep them as long-term financial assets, hedged against inflation and currency volatility. In emergencies, Indians routinely use gold ornaments as collateral to secure loans from informal money lenders.

Puran Doshi, who owns a jewellery shop in Mumbai, said he was doubtful that many Indian families would entrust their gold to a bank fixed-deposit style scheme, which would turn what is now a fairly liquid asset into an illiquid asset.

“Women are possessive about their jewellery — even if their husbands ask for it they don’t give it straight,” said Mr Doshi, who also gives customers loans against gold deposits. “They will only give it for emergencies, and only for cash.”

India had previously tried a gold deposit scheme in 1999 but results were poor, with interest rates too low to give customers an incentive to participate. Banks have also expressed doubts about the costs of running such complex schemes.

But Ms Varma said even if a small minority of Indians or wealthy temples participate in the scheme — and it raises 100 to 200 metric tons of gold a year — it would help cut India’s gold import bill by billions of dollars. “It’s an interesting concept,” she said.

Source:ft.com