IAGES Completes One Year, Expands Trusted Gold Network Across 235 Indian Cities

Key Highlights

IAGES celebrates its first anniversary.
Network grows to 140+ accredited partners.
Accreditation now covers 750+ jewellery stores.
Presence expands across 235+ cities in India.
Over 50 million consumers reached through the #PehlaCheckIAGES awareness campaign.
Accredited Partner Directory helps consumers find verified jewellers.
Initiative aims to strengthen trust, transparency and ethical practices in India’s gold trade.

The Indian Association for Gold Excellence & Standards (IAGES) marked its first anniversary by celebrating a year of promoting trust, transparency and ethical business practices across India’s gold jewellery industry. The annual gathering, held at Hotel Sofitel, BKC, Mumbai, brought together accredited partners, leading jewellery retailers and representatives from across the country’s gold value chain.

Within just one year, IAGES has built a nationwide network of more than 140 accredited partners, representing over 750 jewellery outlets across 235 cities. The growing network includes several leading jewellery brands such as GRT, Senco, PNG, Jos Alukkas, WHP, Orient Jewellers, Lagu Bandhu, Pothys, Thangamayil and Jagannath Pednekar, along with numerous regional and city-based jewellers, reflecting increasing industry confidence in the IAGES accreditation framework.

Building Consumer Trust in Gold Buying

Conceived by the World Gold Council, IAGES was established to encourage greater confidence in India’s gold jewellery market by providing an independent accreditation system for jewellery businesses. The initiative aims to help consumers identify verified jewellers while encouraging higher standards of transparency, accountability and ethical business practices across the industry.

Speaking on the occasion, Kaushlendra Sinha, CEO, IAGES, said:

“The idea of IAGES was conceptualized by World Gold Council on how we can shift India’s gold-buying mindset from fear, cynicism and distrust to trust, confidence, and faith in the ecosystem. A year ago, IAGES was created to benefit gold businesses with a valuable third-party-accessed accreditation but also consumers, through a network of trusted and verified gold businesses and jewellers. When the gold-buying mindset changes at the root level, the industry eventually evolves at large. Over the next 3-5 years, we see India’s gold industry at par with the ethics and business practices of some of the world’s most developed gold markets.”

Consumer Awareness Campaign Reaches 50 Million People

Alongside industry accreditation, IAGES has invested significantly in consumer education through its ongoing “Before you exchange or buy gold, #PehlaCheckIAGES” campaign. According to the association, the initiative has reached more than 50 million consumers through outdoor advertising, metro branding, digital platforms and social media, encouraging buyers to purchase or exchange gold only through accredited businesses.

To further simplify verification, IAGES also launched its Accredited Partner Directory, enabling consumers to search for verified jewellers by brand, location or business category before making a purchase. The association said the online directory continues to witness strong consumer engagement.

Looking Ahead

As one of the world’s largest gold markets, India continues to strengthen its focus on consumer confidence and responsible business practices. IAGES said it plans to expand its accreditation network further over the coming years and welcomes more gold businesses across the country to join the initiative and contribute towards building a more transparent and trusted gold ecosystem.