This Dhanteras, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) is encouraging investors to move away from physical gold in favor of Electronic Gold Receipts (EGRs), a shift that could significantly reduce India’s reliance on imports. By leveraging domestic gold holdings, the NSE believes India could save up to $6 billion annually. Each EGR is fully backed by 995 or 999 purity gold that has been recycled and refined domestically, stored securely in SEBI-approved vaults. This system not only ensures that every unit represents real, locally-sourced metal but also offers investors the flexibility to trade in amounts as small as 10 milligrams or convert their holdings into physical gold when desired.

With Indian households currently holding an estimated 25,000 to 35,000 tonnes of gold—much of which remains idle—the NSE is working on a new initiative to bring this dormant wealth into the formal economy. The exchange is developing an app-based service that will allow individuals to have their personal gold assayed and converted into EGRs via doorstep collection or authorized centers. Since the launch of the EGR segment in May 2026, the platform has steadily gained traction with a robust ecosystem of refiners and market makers. By formalizing this process, the NSE hopes to curb the massive annual import bill while providing a secure, liquid, and modern way for citizens to invest in their favorite metal.