Import duty on cut and polished diamonds and gemstones will be reduced to 5 percent while on sawn diamond to nil in order to boost the sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday.

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At present, import duty on cut and polished diamonds as well as gemstones is 7.5 percent.

Presenting the Budget for 2022-23 in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman also announced that the government will facilitate export of jewellery through e-commerce for which it will implement a "simplified regulatory framework" by June this year.

"To give a boost to the gems and jewellery sector, the customs duty on cut an polished diamonds and gemstones is being reduced to 5 percent. Simply sawn diamond would attract nil custom duty," the FM said.

To disincentivize import of undervalued imitation jewellery, the customs duty on imitation jewellery is being prescribed in a manner that a duty of at least Rs 400 per kg is paid on its import, she added.