India's gold imports in January plunged 48 per cent from a year earlier to their lowest level in 4 months as a rally in local prices near record highs prompted buyers to curtail purchases, a government source said on Tuesday.

The world's second-biggest buyer of gold imported 36.26 tonnes in January, compared with 69.51 tonnes a year earlier, the source said on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak to media.

In value terms, January imports totalled $1.58 billion, down from last year's $2.31 billion, he said.