BIS Expands Silver Hallmarking Capacity Amid High Gold Prices

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is boosting its silver hallmarking capacity as consumer demand surges due to high gold prices.

To accommodate this growth, the BIS is deploying new technology and expanding its laboratory infrastructure. The agency aims to handle the rising volume internally over the next two years and is planning a nationwide expansion of its referral and assay laboratories.

The scale of this growth is evident in official data, which shows silver article hallmarking reaching 5.9 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year, up from 3.2 million the previous year.

To keep up with demand and improve accuracy, the BIS is piloting advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics. The agency is testing robotic arms for laboratory tasks and has linked test equipment directly to its Lab Information Management System (LIMS) for automated data capture.