Indians Spend Rs.1 Lakh Crore on Dhanteras; Record Jewellery Sales Despite High Gold Prices

This Dhanteras 2025, Indians celebrated with open hearts and record spending. According to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), total business across the country touched nearly ₹1 lakh crore — a massive boost to India’s festive economy. CAIT said this amount reflects only the sales made on Dhanteras day, while Diwali sales are expected to push the total business much higher.

Gold and Silver Sales Cross ₹60,000 Crore

Gold and silver dominated the markets, contributing nearly ₹60,000 crore, which is 25% higher than last year. Pankaj Arora, National President of CAIT’s All India Jewelers and Goldsmith Federation, said jewelry markets witnessed unprecedented crowds over the past two days. Delhi alone recorded sales worth over ₹10,000 crore.

Surendra Mehta, National Secretary of the India Bullion and Jewelers Association, said that while the volume of gold sales fell by 10% due to record-high prices, the overall value surged sharply.

“Last year, around 39 tons of gold were sold on Dhanteras, but this year it is expected to be about 36 tons,” Mehta said.

Rajesh Rokde, Chairman of the Gem and Jewelry Council of India, said that smart buying and wedding-season demand kept enthusiasm high despite rising prices. Gold coins were among the most purchased items this year.

Gold and Silver Prices Hit Record Highs

The year 2025 has seen a dramatic rise in precious metal prices:

• Gold prices jumped by ₹53,422 (70.14%), from ₹76,162 per 10 grams in December 2024 to ₹1,29,584 now.
• Silver prices rose by ₹83,213 (96.74%), from ₹86,017 per kg to ₹1,69,230 per kg.

Utensils, Electronics & Festive Items: ₹40,000 Crore Business

Dhanteras is traditionally considered an auspicious day to buy gold, silver, copper, and steel utensils, as they symbolize purity and prosperity. Let’s have a look at the category wise sales this dhanteras.

Category	Estimated Sales (₹ Crore)
Gold & Silver	60,000
Utensils & Kitchen Appliances	15,000
Electronics	10,000
Decorative Items, Lamps & Puja Materials	3,000
Dry Fruits, Sweets, Textiles & Vehicles	12,000

CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said the surge in spending was boosted by lower GST rates and the ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“People are increasingly choosing Indian-made products, which is benefitting small traders, artisans, and local manufacturers,” he said.

Shopping malls, jewelry markets, and traditional bazaars across India were packed with customers from early morning.

Sandeep Sethgal, Director at Panasonic Life Solutions, said demand for large-screen TVs (55-inch and above) grew significantly.

“We saw nearly 30% growth in the TV and RAC categories compared to last Dhanteras,” he said.

Automobile Sector: ₹8,000 Crore Sales in Two Days

According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), around 1 lakh cars were sold during Dhanteras 2025 — generating business worth nearly ₹8,000 crore, marking a 20–25% year-on-year growth. Maruti Suzuki India led the market, selling about 50,000 cars, up from 42,000 last year. Hyundai Motor India also recorded strong sales of around 14,000 cars, a 20% increase compared to 2024.

Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer at Maruti Suzuki, said:

“This year Dhanteras fell on a weekend. While some customers avoided taking delivery on Saturday, most will collect their cars on Sunday, helping us cross the 50,000 mark.”

Tarun Garg, MD & CEO of Hyundai Motors, attributed the growth to the festive spirit, positive market sentiment, and GST 2.0 reforms.

Other automakers including Toyota Kirloskar, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, and Kia India together delivered around 35,000 cars. Toyota’s hybrid range and Fortuner, Tata’s Nexon and Punch, Mahindra’s Scorpio-N and XUV700, and Kia’s Seltos and Sonet were in high demand.

The massive ₹1 lakh crore business on Dhanteras reflects India’s booming consumer confidence and strong festive sentiment. With Diwali still ahead, retailers expect total festive sales to set a new all-time record this year.