The Indian government raised tariffs on the metal to a record 10%, and now requires importers to re-export 20% of their gold. India's central bank even went as far as asking temples around the country to divulge how much gold they were storing, though many refused.
Thailand and Vietnam have taken similar steps to subdue their populations' gold demand, even though the primary outcome has been to increase gold smuggling.
These governments' measures have received the most attention because they fit nicely into the Western narrative that gold is an old-fashioned asset that does more harm than good in modern economies. But the truth is that the only ones harmed by gold are Western governments!
- Source, Schiff Radio:
