A 50% US tariff on Indian goods is disrupting the India–US natural-stone trade, forcing distributors to raise prices and limiting availability for US fabricators. Indian quartz surface products are subject to the separate Section 201 safeguard tariff-rate quota, effective August 15, 2026, with 25% in-quota and 50% over-quota rates.
The immediate concern for stone buyers is not limited to quartz. India is a source of granite blocks and slabs as well as agglomerated-quartz slabs, so pricing, shipment availability and supplier commitments may be affected across several purchasing programs.
Trade exposure and export data
FEMMI, the Federation of Minor Minerals, cited a report by Dr C.H. Rao that Indian stone exports could fall by approximately 50% in the near term, with potential job losses of more than 200,000. Indian exporters are seeking government relief.
- FY2026 agglomerated-quartz slab exports: US$233.3 million.
- US share of India quartz-surface-product exports: 72.5%.
- Granite blocks and slabs shipped in 2024: roughly 764,000 metric tons.
- US shipments received: about 12,772 between November 2023 and October 2024.
These figures show why a change in US import cost can affect both exporters and downstream distributors. They do not determine the cost outcome for an individual contract, which will depend on the covered product and the applicable duty treatment.
Quartz and duty exposure
Indian quartz surface products are within the separate Section 201 safeguard TRQ. The stated first-year rates are 25% in-quota and 50% over-quota. Existing countervailing duties on Indian quartz ranged from 1.57% to 2.34%, with an all-others rate of 2.17%, according to GTRI founder Ajay Srivastava. The safeguard stacks on top.
For buyers, this means quartz sourcing needs a separate TRQ analysis from the broader tariff effect on Indian goods. The distinction should appear in purchase orders, landed-cost models and supplier discussions.
Granite supply and named suppliers
Popular Indian granites in the US market include Blue Dunes, Colonial White, Colonial Gold, Viscon White and Monalisa. Buyers sourcing granite slabs can use the named material program, origin and shipment timing as separate checkpoints when reviewing availability.
Major Indian quartz exporters named in the trade data are Pokarna Engineered Stone, Marudhar Quartz Surfaces, KalingaStone, ARO Granite Industries and Pacific Quartz Surfaces. The list identifies companies cited in the locked facts; it does not establish product availability or contract terms.
What it means for buyers
Importers and fabricators should review current quotations before fixing price or delivery commitments for Indian stone. Practical checkpoints include the product category, whether quartz is exposed to the Section 201 quota, the applicable duty stack, and whether a supplier can maintain the agreed shipment schedule.
For projects that need a broader origin strategy, buyers can consider the sourcing approach discussed in diversifying sourcing away from tariff-exposed origins. Contract language can allocate responsibility for tariff changes, entry timing and substitutions where a specified material becomes difficult to obtain.
The reported disruption has two related but distinct parts for Indian stone. The 50% US tariff on Indian goods affects the broader natural-stone trade and is associated with higher distributor prices and more limited availability for US fabricators. Indian quartz surface products are also subject to their own Section 201 safeguard framework. Keeping those two treatments separate is important when reviewing a quotation: quartz carries the stated in-quota or over-quota safeguard rate, while the report describes a wider tariff shock across Indian goods.
For quartz, the reported countervailing-duty range of 1.57%–2.34%, including an all-others rate of 2.17%, is described as existing duty on which the new safeguard stacks. The named exporters — Pokarna Engineered Stone, Marudhar Quartz Surfaces, KalingaStone, ARO Granite Industries and Pacific Quartz Surfaces — are part of the supply context reported for Indian quartz. The named granite materials — Blue Dunes, Colonial White, Colonial Gold, Viscon White and Monalisa — help buyers identify the products whose availability or pricing discussions may need renewed attention.
The FEMMI assessment, reported by Dr C.H. Rao, puts the potential near-term decline in Indian stone exports at about 50% and potential job losses above 200,000. Those are reported industry estimates, not a project-level quote. For buyers, the usable action is to separate material selection, product category and duty treatment in each conversation with a distributor or fabricator, then record any change to price, availability or schedule before approving a specification.
Indian exporters are seeking government relief, according to the reported trade coverage. Until a buyer has a revised commercial offer, the practical record remains the product, origin, stated duty treatment and supplier commitment. Keeping those items together helps a team evaluate price and availability without turning reported industry disruption into an unsupported promise about a specific order.
