The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has notified the new Baggage Rules 2026, bringing significant relief to international travelers. Starting from February 2, 2026, Indians returning from abroad can bring more jewelry and personal items without paying customs duty. The government has introduced a weight-based system for gold jewelry to simplify the process and reduce valuation disputes at Indian airports.
How much Gold Jewellery can you bring duty-free?
The biggest change in the new rules is the removal of the value cap on gold jewelry. Previously, even if the weight was within limits, you had to pay duty if the value exceeded a certain amount. Now, the allowance is based strictly on weight for Indians who have resided abroad for more than one year.
- Female Passengers: Allowed to bring up to 40 grams of gold jewelry duty-free.
- Male Passengers: Allowed to bring up to 20 grams of gold jewelry duty-free.
Under the old 2016 rules, women were limited to a value of Rs 1 lakh and men to Rs 50,000. With rising gold prices, this limit was often crossed easily. The 2026 rules fix the limit at 40g and 20g regardless of the gold price.
General Allowance and Lower Duty Rates
Apart from jewelry, the general duty-free allowance for other items has been increased. Indian residents and tourists of Indian origin arriving by air or sea can now carry goods worth up to Rs 75,000 duty-free. This limit was previously Rs 50,000. For foreign tourists, the allowance has been raised to Rs 25,000.
If you bring goods worth more than the Rs 75,000 limit, the customs duty on the excess amount has been slashed. The new duty rate is 10%, which is a major reduction from the earlier effective rate of around 35-38%. Passengers carrying taxable goods must now declare them digitally using the Atithi app or ICEGATE portal.
Comparison: Old Rules vs New Rules 2026
| Category | Old Limit (2016) | New Limit (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| General Allowance | Rs 50,000 | Rs 75,000 |
| Women’s Gold | 40g (Max Rs 1 Lakh) | 40g (No Value Cap) |
| Men’s Gold | 20g (Max Rs 50k) | 20g (No Value Cap) |
| Excess Duty Rate | ~35-38% | 10% |
