Will Silver Hallmarking Become Mandatory? Where Things Stand in Mid-2026

When BIS moved silver onto the HUID system on 1 September 2025 under IS 2112:2025, it left one thing open: whether silver hallmarking would stay voluntary or become compulsory the way gold did. In early June 2026, BIS gave the clearest answer so far, which is that it is not ready to decide yet.

What BIS said in June 2026

Speaking to the press around 4 to 5 June 2026, BIS said it is still studying the practical and infrastructure challenges of mandating silver hallmarking, and that no date has been set. The concerns it raised are specific to silver rather than gold.

Why silver is harder than gold

Three problems come up repeatedly:

1. Silver is sold in far more forms than gold jewellery, from small ornaments to utensils, idols, and even furniture, which makes defining what must be hallmarked more complicated.
2. Silver is softer and tarnishes more easily than gold, so a stamped HUID can fade or corrode. BIS has flagged that it is still refining a marking method that holds up on silver.
3. Silver is traded by a very large number of small sellers, and the cost and turnaround of compulsory hallmarking weigh heavier on them.

Adoption is climbing on its own

Even without a mandate, uptake has grown fast. About 59 lakh silver articles were hallmarked in 2025-26, up from roughly 32 lakh the year before, and more than 44 lakh now carry the six-digit HUID. Around 230 assaying and hallmarking centres are recognised for silver testing.

The seven purity grades

IS 2112:2025 recognises seven grades of silver fineness: 999, 990, 970, 958, 925, 835 and 800. The 958 and 999 grades were added in this revision. Most silver jewellery sold in India is 925, or sterling silver.

What jewellers should do now

The direction of travel is clear even if the timing is not. Silver sellers who start hallmarking voluntarily now build the habit, the supplier relationships, and the customer trust before any mandate arrives, and they avoid a scramble later. Where you do hallmark silver, the HUID is compulsory on that piece, so treat voluntary silver hallmarking the same way you treat gold: assay, mark, and log every article.

What it means for buyers

Because the scheme is voluntary, not every silver piece carries a HUID. Where one is present, check it in the BIS Care app the same way you check gold. A 925 stamp backed by a verifiable HUID is a stronger guarantee than a 925 stamp on its own.