India, May 13 -- As Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed for austerity measures in view of the tensions in West Asia, India's rising gold imports are drawing attention.

Emphasising that the Centre is trying to shield people from the adverse impact of the conflict in West Asia, Modi on Sunday called for judicious use of fuel, postponement of gold purchases and foreign travel, among other measures, to strengthen the economy.

Here are a few questions and answers to understand gold imports in India.

IMPORT DATA:

India's gold imports rose over 24 per cent to an all-time high of $71.98 billion in 2025-26. It was $58 billion in 2024-25, $45.54 billion in 2023-24, $35 billion in 2022-23, $46.14 billion in 2021-22, $34.62 billion in 2020-...