India remains the world’s second-largest ceramic tile exporter behind China, but 2024 marked the first annual decline in over a decade, according to data from the MECS/Acimac Research Centre. Export volumes dropped to 525.3 million square meters from a record 589.5 million in 2023, a contraction of 10.9% that signals shifting global demand and mounting trade pressures.
The decline ends an extraordinary run. Between 2013 and 2023, India’s ceramic tile exports surged from 55 million square meters to nearly 590 million, a tenfold increase that reshaped global markets. Revenue reached €2.25 billion in 2023 before falling to €2 billion in 2024.
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Where the Numbers Stand
China exported 600 million square meters in 2024, maintaining its lead but facing its own production challenges. India’s share of global exports now sits just behind China’s, with both countries dominating Asia’s 1.47 billion square meter export total.
Production in India totaled 2.4 billion square meters in 2024, down 2% from 2.45 billion in 2023. Domestic consumption also slipped to 1.62 billion square meters, reflecting broader construction sector headwinds.
2024 Export Breakdown:
- Total volume: 525.3 million sqm (down 64 million)
- Revenue: €2 billion (down 11.2%)
- Destination countries: 135
- Average price: €3.8 per square meter
Markets That Pulled Back
Asia absorbed 216.4 million square meters in 2024, down 13.3% and accounting for 41.2% of India’s total exports. Revenues from Asian markets fell to €786.2 million.
Africa, which saw explosive 68.8% growth in 2023, contracted sharply to 98.4 million square meters in 2024, an 18.5% drop. North American shipments decreased 7.1% to 62.2 million square meters, while European Union imports fell to 54.2 million square meters.
The UAE overtook the United States as India’s largest single market, importing 36.8 million square meters in 2024, up 7.8%. US imports dropped to 34.3 million square meters, down 7.1%. Russia climbed to fourth place with 28.1 million square meters, gaining 22.4% as trade routes shifted.
Saudi Arabia saw the steepest decline among major buyers, plummeting 46.8% to just 9.5 million square meters and falling to 17th place overall.
Morbi Manufacturing Hub Faces Headwinds
Gujarat’s Morbi cluster produces 80% to 90% of India’s ceramic tiles from roughly 800 manufacturing units concentrated along a 60-kilometer stretch near the Machhu river. The region generated INR 50,000 crore (USD 6.02 billion) in annual turnover, with exports accounting for INR 12,000 crore.
Proximity to Mundra and Kandla ports gives Morbi exporters same-day shipping access to 163 countries. Subsidized natural gas and established supply chains for feldspar and quartz create cost advantages estimated at $4 to $6 per square meter compared to manufacturers in other Indian regions.
But 2024 brought congestion at Mundra port and volatile liquefied natural gas prices, squeezing margins for export-focused plants that rely on quick turnarounds and thin pricing.
US Investigation Clouds Largest Western Market
The US Department of Commerce launched anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations into Indian ceramic tiles in May 2024, examining whether products were sold below fair value and received unfair government subsidies. American manufacturers sought duties ranging from 408% to 828%.
Preliminary findings in December 2024 determined Indian tiles were not sold below fair value in the anti-dumping review. The US International Trade Commission issued its final determination in April 2025. During the investigation, Morbi manufacturers reported 25% of US orders stalled or cancelled as importers awaited clarity.
The United States imported ceramic tiles worth approximately Rs. 1,600 crore from India during fiscal 2023-24, making the market’s uncertainty particularly acute for Gujarat producers.
What Manufacturers Are Shipping
Porcelain stoneware accounts for more than 75% of India’s ceramic tile exports, totaling 403 million square meters in 2024 and generating €1.68 billion in revenue. The product category represents 84% of total export value despite a 4.8% volume decline from 2023’s 423 million square meters.
Average pricing held steady at €3.8 per square meter across 2023 and 2024, but regional variations remained wide. African buyers paid €2.8 per square meter on average, while North American and EU importers paid €4.4. Non-EU European countries paid the highest rates at €5.4 per square meter.
Turkey recorded the steepest pricing at €11.1 per square meter, while several African markets came in around €2 per square meter.
Industry Pivots to New Markets
Gulf Cooperation Council nations removed anti-dumping duties on Indian tiles in 2024, reopening a 35 million square meter market corridor that had been restricted. Latin America showed the only growth in 2024, with exports rising 14% to 39.4 million square meters and revenue climbing 11.3% to €152 million.
Manufacturers began redirecting capacity toward Canada, Mexico, and South American markets as US demand softened. The ceramic tiles industry employs approximately 500,000 workers in India across manufacturing, logistics, and related services, with organized sector companies like Kajaria Ceramics, Somany Ceramics, and numerous Morbi-based exporters competing globally.
The 2024 contraction follows a decade of 21.5% average annual growth, raising questions about whether the slowdown represents a temporary adjustment or signals more fundamental shifts in global construction demand and trade relationships.
