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Export ceramic and vitrified tiles

Morbi-made wall, floor and vitrified tiles shipped by container; the UAE, Russia, USA and UK lead.

Free to exportHS 6907
HS code
6907
Ceramic flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles — glazed and unglazed ceramic and vitrified (porcelain) tiles.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 2.12 bn
to 188 countries

What is exported

Most Indian tile exports come from Morbi in Gujarat, which makes wall, floor, vitrified and large-slab tiles. Buyers are importers, distributors and project contractors who order full containers by design and size. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 2.1 billion under HS 6907; the UAE led, followed by Russia, the USA, the UK, Iraq and Vietnam.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Glazed vitrified tiles (GVT) and polished porcelain slabsLow water absorption (0.5% or less); the main export line, including large slabs.
  • Double-charge and soluble-salt vitrified tilesHeavy-traffic floor tiles for commercial projects.
  • Ceramic wall tilesHigher water absorption (over 10%); for kitchens and bathrooms.
  • Ceramic floor and outdoor tilesIncluding thick anti-skid outdoor and parking tiles.

Where it is grown or made

  • GujaratMorbi — the bulk of India's tile output and exports
  • GujaratHimmatnagar (Sabarkantha) and Thangadh (Surendranagar)
  • Uttar PradeshSikandrabad (Bulandshahr) — tile plants
  • Andhra PradeshSrikalahasti (Tirupati) — tile plants

Export packing

  • Tiles go in printed corrugated boxes (with size, shade, batch and calibre marked), stacked on ISPM-15 wooden pallets or crates and strapped.
  • Mix only one shade and batch per order line; shade variation is the most common buyer complaint.
  • Containers are loaded to the weight limit, not the volume; check the destination's road-weight rules.

Who buys abroad

  • Tile importers and distributors
  • Building-material and DIY chains
  • Real-estate developers and contractors
  • Private-label tile brands

The quality buyers ask for

Water-absorption group
ISO 13006 / EN 14411 groups: BIa (0.5% or less — porcelain), BIb (over 0.5% to 3%), BIIa (over 3% to 6%), BIIb (over 6% to 10%), BIII (over 10% — wall tiles)
Test methods
ISO 10545 series: dimensions and surface (part 2), water absorption (part 3), breaking strength (part 4), abrasion (parts 6 and 7), chemical and stain resistance
Slip resistance
Ramp test R9–R13 (DIN 51130) for Europe; wet DCOF (ANSI A326.3) for the USA
Calibre and shade
Each box marked with size calibre and shade batch so installers do not mix
US standard
ANSI A137.1 for ceramic tile sold in the USA
Thickness and size
Nominal size, thickness, flatness and squareness within the standard's tolerance

Certificates

  • CE marking with Declaration of Performance (EU)RequiredFloor and wall tiles under harmonised standard EN 14411 need a DoP and CE marking under the EU Construction Products Regulation.
  • ISO 9001 / ISO 14001Often askedQuality and environmental management; expected by large distributors.
  • Destination conformity certificatesOften askedGulf (e.g. Saudi SABER), some African and South American markets require product conformity certificates before shipment.
  • Green building documents (EPD)Often askedEnvironmental Product Declarations help with green-building projects in Europe and the USA.
  • BIS (IS 15622)Often askedNeeded to sell tiles in India; a quality reference for some buyers.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Tiles are heavy: a 20-ft container is loaded to the shipping line's weight limit (typically about 25–28 tonnes including pallets), so the area per container depends on tile size and thickness. Boxes go on ISPM-15 wooden or plastic pallets, strapped and stretch-wrapped.

How it travels

Sea freight from Mundra and Kandla near Morbi.

Storage

Store pallets on level ground, out of rain (wet boxes collapse); keep shade batches together.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Box: manufacturer, 'Made in India', tile group per ISO 13006, size, calibre, shade, quantity and area per box, weight.
  • EU: CE mark with DoP reference, intended use and declared performance.
  • Slip rating and PEI abrasion class where claimed.
Where to get it tested

CSIR-CGCRI, Kolkata, with its Naroda centre in Ahmedabad, tests ceramic tiles. Several NABL-accredited labs in and around Morbi test tiles to ISO 10545 — search 'ceramic' in the NABL directory. CAPEXIL can guide members on CE and destination certificates.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • CAPEXILCeramics and refractories are listed under CAPEXIL in Appendix 2T; take the RCMC there.capexil.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • EU: tiles are construction products and need CE marking with a declaration of performance under the harmonised standard (EN 14411).
  • Gulf: conformity marks under GCC or national schemes (for example Saudi SABER registration) — check with the importer.
  • Lab reports for water absorption, breaking strength, slip resistance and shade/size grading.
How to start small

A merchant exporter can source from Morbi factories that already export. Choose a few popular sizes and finishes, get CE or market-specific test reports, join CAPEXIL, and start with one container to a Gulf or African distributor against an advance or LC.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Several countries apply anti-dumping duties on Indian tiles. Check the buyer country's trade-remedy notices before you quote.
  • Shade and calibre mixing within a container — the buyer cannot use mixed lots on one floor.
  • Container overweight: tiles are heavy, so check the payload limits of the line and of the destination roads.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 6907 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. European Commission — Construction Products Regulation
  5. CAPEXIL — official site

Trade data

Indian ceramic and vitrified tiles exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 2.12 bn
+5.3% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -0.5%
US$ 2.13 bn → US$ 2.12 bn
Buyer countries
188
Average export price
US$ 3.83
per kg · 5,53,758 tonnes shipped · US$ 4.06 the year before
United Arab Emirates: US$ 164 mnRussia: US$ 136 mnUnited States of America: US$ 131 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 111 mnVietnam: US$ 77.8 mnKuwait: US$ 56.4 mnSri Lanka: US$ 36.7 mnOman: US$ 36.5 mnSouth Africa: US$ 36.5 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 164 mnUnited Arab EmiratesRussia: US$ 136 mnRussiaUnited States of America: US$ 131 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Kingdom: US$ 111 mnUnited KingdomVietnam: US$ 77.8 mnVietnamKuwait: US$ 56.4 mnSri Lanka: US$ 36.7 mnSri LankaOman: US$ 36.5 mnSouth Africa: US$ 36.5 mnIndia
Where Indian ceramic and vitrified tiles goes — among our 30 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 1.64 bn1.6k2020-212021-22: US$ 1.71 bn1.7k2021-222022-23: US$ 1.98 bn2.0k2022-232023-24: US$ 2.44 bn2.4k2023-242024-25: US$ 2.13 bn2.1k2024-252025-26: US$ 2.12 bn2.1k2025-26
India’s ceramic and vitrified tiles exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2020-21 — a 18% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 3.65 per kg3.652021-22: US$ 3.84 per kg2022-23: US$ 4.30 per kg4.302024-25: US$ 4.06 per kg2025-26: US$ 3.83 per kg3.832020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian ceramic and vitrified tiles · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 1.64 bn2020-212021-22: US$ 1.71 bn2021-222022-23: US$ 1.98 bn2022-232023-24: US$ 2.44 bn2023-242024-25: US$ 2.13 bn2024-252025-26: US$ 2.12 bn2025-262026-27: US$ 2.47 bn (US$ 2.14 bn – US$ 2.85 bn)2.5k2026-272027-28: US$ 2.62 bn (US$ 2.24 bn – US$ 3.08 bn)2.6k2027-28
India’s ceramic and vitrified tiles exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 2.62 bn

Likely range US$ 2.24 bn to US$ 3.08 bn.

Trend
+6.4% a year
Fit (R²)
0.6
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United Arab EmiratesUS$ 164 mn+4%
2RussiaUS$ 136 mn-5.1%
3United States of AmericaUS$ 131 mn-15%
4United KingdomUS$ 111 mn+17.1%
5IraqUS$ 107 mn-9.9%
6VietnamUS$ 77.8 mn+30.5%
7IsraelUS$ 70.6 mn-9.4%
8PolandUS$ 68.3 mn+5.3%
9ThailandUS$ 56.7 mn-5.2%
10KuwaitUS$ 56.4 mn-30.3%
11MexicoUS$ 48.4 mn-36.2%
12RomaniaUS$ 43.7 mn+3.3%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. VenezuelaUS$ 13.7 mn → US$ 25.4 mn+85.2%
  2. GuatemalaUS$ 20.8 mn → US$ 28.7 mn+38.1%
  3. VietnamUS$ 59.6 mn → US$ 77.8 mn+30.5%
  4. ColombiaUS$ 30.1 mn → US$ 38 mn+26.3%
  5. SenegalUS$ 32.5 mn → US$ 39.8 mn+22.6%
  6. TanzaniaUS$ 18.4 mn → US$ 22.4 mn+21.7%
  7. GreeceUS$ 25.7 mn → US$ 31.1 mn+20.8%
  8. Sri LankaUS$ 30.6 mn → US$ 36.7 mn+19.8%

Low demand

  1. IndonesiaUS$ 38.3 mn → US$ 21.3 mn-44.4%
  2. OmanUS$ 60.1 mn → US$ 36.5 mn-39.3%
  3. NepalUS$ 24.9 mn → US$ 15.2 mn-39.2%
  4. MexicoUS$ 75.9 mn → US$ 48.4 mn-36.2%
  5. LibyaUS$ 44.4 mn → US$ 29.3 mn-34%
  6. QatarUS$ 29.5 mn → US$ 20.4 mn-30.8%
  7. KuwaitUS$ 80.9 mn → US$ 56.4 mn-30.3%
  8. Saudi ArabiaUS$ 28.1 mn → US$ 20.3 mn-27.8%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Of a water absorption coefficient by weight not exceeding 0.5%6907 21 00 · Ceramic tiles, flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles other than those of subheadings 6907.30 and 6907.40…US$ 1.82 bn+0.8%435 mn m²US$ 4.19 per m²was US$ 4.42
Of a water absorption coefficient by weight exceeding 10%6907 23 00 · Ceramic tiles, flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles other than those of subheadings 6907.30 and 6907.40…US$ 180 mn-11.6%74.7 mn m²US$ 2.42 per m²was US$ 2.64
Of a water absorption coefficient by weight exceeding 0.5% but not exceeding 10%6907 22 00 · Ceramic tiles, flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles other than those of subheadings 6907.30 and 6907.40…US$ 114 mn-3.6%43.7 mn m²US$ 2.61 per m²was US$ 2.95
Finishing ceramics — furnishing ceramics6907 40 00US$ 5.4 mn+56.8%636k m²US$ 8.56 per m²was US$ 9.93
Mosaic cubes and the like, other than those of sub-heading 6907 406907 30 00 · Mosaic cubes and the like, other than those of subheading 6907.40US$ 2.1 mn-26.8%139k m²US$ 15.31 per m²was US$ 11.82

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 18 bn
2023
India among exporters
#4
of 132 countries
India’s share of world exports
11.7%
US$ 2.44 bn
Left for others to win
US$ 18.4 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ItalyUS$ 4.76 bn 22.8%
  2. 2ChinaUS$ 4.45 bn 21.4%
  3. 3SpainUS$ 3.84 bn 18.4%
  4. 4IndiaUS$ 2.44 bn 11.7%
  5. 5TürkiyeUS$ 665 mn 3.2%
  6. 6PolandUS$ 465 mn 2.2%
  7. 7BrazilUS$ 392 mn 1.9%
  8. 8GermanyUS$ 359 mn 1.7%
  9. 9IranUS$ 332 mn 1.6%
  10. 10PortugalUS$ 302 mn 1.5%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 2.37 bn 13.2%
  2. 2FranceUS$ 1.23 bn 6.8%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 825 mn 4.6%
  4. 4United KingdomUS$ 708 mn 3.9%
  5. 5PhilippinesUS$ 624 mn 3.5%
  6. 6Rep. of KoreaUS$ 447 mn 2.5%
  7. 7IsraelUS$ 423 mn 2.4%
  8. 8AustraliaUS$ 349 mn 1.9%
  9. 9ItalyUS$ 341 mn 1.9%
  10. 10Saudi ArabiaUS$ 317 mn 1.8%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 2.27 bnIndia 10% · gap US$ 2.05 bn
FranceUS$ 1.1 bnIndia 1.1% · gap US$ 1.09 bn
GermanyUS$ 796 mnIndia 1.7% · gap US$ 783 mn
United KingdomUS$ 708 mnIndia 15.6% · gap US$ 597 mn
South KoreaUS$ 458 mnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 456 mn
AustraliaUS$ 349 mnIndia 2.8% · gap US$ 339 mn
CanadaUS$ 295 mnIndia 4.5% · gap US$ 282 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 281 mnIndia 0.8% · gap US$ 278 mn
ItalyUS$ 281 mnIndia 13.6% · gap US$ 243 mn
Saudi ArabiaUS$ 272 mnIndia 12.4% · gap US$ 238 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export ceramic and vitrified tiles

India is one of the world's largest makers and exporters of ceramic and vitrified tiles, almost all from the Morbi cluster in Gujarat. China is the largest producer; Spain and Italy lead the premium and design segment; Turkey, Iran, Vietnam and Brazil also compete. Demand comes from construction and renovation in the Gulf, Africa, the USA and Europe, and anti-dumping duties on Chinese tiles in several markets have helped Indian suppliers. Openings are in large-format porcelain slabs, private-label tiles for distributors, and markets that need fast delivery of mid-priced vitrified tiles.

  1. 01Choose range and market

    Match sizes and finishes to what the market installs.

  2. 02Test and certify

    Test to ISO 10545 and prepare CE/DoP or destination certificates.

  3. 03Samples and mock-up

    Send samples and catalogue; agree shade and packing.

  4. 04Order and production

    Produce in one shade batch where possible; sort by calibre.

  5. 05Pre-shipment inspection

    Allow buyer or agency inspection; check breakage and box print.

  6. 06Load and ship

    Load to weight limit, file the shipping bill and claim RoDTEP and drawback.

  7. 07Payment

    LC or advance with new buyers; check anti-dumping and import rules in the market before quoting.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting ceramic and vitrified tiles

What makes a tile 'porcelain'?
Under ISO 13006 a porcelain tile has water absorption of 0.5% or less (group BIa). In the USA, ANSI A137.1 sets its own test.
Do I need CE marking for tiles?
Yes, for the EU: tiles fall under a harmonised standard, so a Declaration of Performance and CE marking are required.
Why do buyers complain about shade?
Tiles from different firing batches differ. Ship one shade per order, mark shade and calibre on every box, and keep reference samples.
Which council covers ceramic tiles?
CAPEXIL.
Are there anti-dumping duties on Indian tiles?
Some markets have investigated or imposed duties on Indian tiles. Check the importing country's trade-remedy notices before quoting.
Sources (7)
  1. CAPEXIL — official site
  2. ISO 13006:2018 — Ceramic tiles: definitions, classification, characteristics and marking
  3. European Commission — Construction Products Regulation (CPR)
  4. European Commission — CE marking
  5. CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI)
  6. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories
  7. IPPC — ISPM 15, Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade

Who buys Indian ceramic and vitrified tiles

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