Committee Forming to Establish Indian Spot Gold Exchange

Jon Economy, Gold, Market Commentary, Precious Metals

The World Gold Council has announced plans to form a committee that will help set up India’s first physical gold exchange. Officials say they hope to have the exchange up and running in 12 to 18 months.
The committee will not actually set up the exchange, but will provide guidance. WGC Indian operations managing director PR Somasundaram told Bloomberg the council is in the process of creating an industry committee of jewelry trade associations, dealers, miners, regulators, foreign and Indian banks, and eventually some consumers.

Indians have a love affair with gold. The country ranks as the second largest consumer of the yellow metal in the world. It’s not just a luxury. Even the poor buy gold in India. The yellow metal is interwoven into the country’s marriage ceremonies, and cultural and religious rites. Indians also value gold as a store of wealth, especially in poor rural regions. According to the World Gold Council, Indian households hold over 22,500 tons of gold.

This post was published at Schiffgold on OCTOBER 5, 2017.