India Gold import zooms

India imported around 664 tonnes of gold in January-August, up 86.5 percent from a year ago, a World Gold Council official said on Saturday.

Ajay Mitra, WGC managing director for India, told Reuters that by the end of this month imports could top those in the whole of 2006.

India imported 715.5 tonnes of gold in 2006, according to WGC data.

In an interview last month, WGC's managing director and chief marketing officer, Philip Olden, said India's 2007 gold imports could be 50 percent above last year's level.