Imports of gold bars into India totalled 113.1 mt in November, nearly  treble the 39 mt reported in October, Indian customs data showed  Thursday.

It puts November imports as the second highest of the year, below the 145 mt reported in August.

Imports of gold dore -- gold ore used in refining -- totalled 44 mt, a 50% increase from October.

Indian gold demand typically picks up in November, during the  festival and wedding seasons around Diwali, with gold traditionally  given as presents during the period.

India vies with China as the world's largest consumer of gold, but  unlike China has to rely almost entirely on imports to meet demand. Both  countries are expected to consume around 900-1,000 mt of gold this year  at levels similar to last year.

Imports will have also benefited from record low gold prices in  November, which saw prices hit 6.5-year lows around $1,050, on a strong  US dollar and expectations of the first interest rate hike by the US  Federal Reserve in almost a decade.

Gold in November was on average 6.45% lower than October, and is  down nearly 10% on the year, according to the final settlement price on  the London Bullion Market Association Gold Price.

Stronger Indian demand in November is also evident in the  differential paid for gold locally to the international price, as it  moved out of a discount as high as $10/oz in October to around  $2-2.50/oz from the second week of November.

Platts assessed the India gold premium at $2/oz Thursday, unchanged from Wednesday.

The London Bullion Market Association Gold Price settled at  $1,050.60/oz Thursday morning, down $4.80/oz from the previous session.