India 07 gold demand 773.6 tonnes, up 7 pct on yr - WGC

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's gold demand in 2007 rose 7 percent to 773.6 metric tonnes from the previous year, World Gold Council said on Wednesday.

Demand for gold as investment stood at 215.4 tonnes, up 10 percent from 2006, WGC's detailed statement showed.

Jewellery demand grew at a smaller pace to 558.2 tonnes from 526.2 tonnes in the previous year, it showed.

WGC officials say that the figures mainly comprise gold imports into India by licensed agencies like banks and trading companies.

The demand figure for 2007 is just under a record 774.4 tonnes gold demand in 1998, according to data acquired earlier from WGC.