The gold demand in the country has strengthened during the key festival of Dhanteras, buoyed by a recent reduction in import duties and traditional buying patterns, a senior MMTC-PAMP official said on Tuesday. "The market sentiment for gold remains robust this Dhanteras season, with sustained demand for our pure gold products," MMTC-PAMP Managing Director and CEO Vikas Singh told PTI. The reduction in import duty from 15 per cent to 6 per cent has amplified festival season purchases, with consumers showing a strong preference for high-purity gold products, he said. "Customer preference for quality and purity continues to be a key driver in purchase decisions, particularly for our 24K gold products with 99.99 per cent + purity," Singh added. The positive momentum is expected to continue into the upcoming wedding season, which traditionally accounts for approximately half of India's annual gold consumption, Singh said. He noted that beyond seasonal factors, gold demand benefits from