India has approached the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the Donald Trump administration’s decision to impose safeguard tariffs of 25-55 per cent on quartz surface products from August 15.
The move is significant for Indian manufacturers because the US is the largest market for the country’s quartz surface exports. For covered glass products, the effective tariff will rise to 30-55 per cent. Anti-dumping and countervailing duties could also be imposed in addition to these tariffs.
India sought consultations with the US on August 14 under the WTO Agreement on Safeguards. It said it had a “substantial interest” in the measure and asked for access to information submitted by the US, an opportunity to discuss the safeguard action and protection of its rights under WTO rules.
What are quartz surface products?
Quartz surface products are engineered stone materials made by mixing crushed quartz or silica with resins, pigments and other materials. The mixture is then pressed and polished to make hard, non-porous slabs.
These slabs are commonly used for kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, flooring and wall cladding.
In India, production is concentrated mainly in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Telangana. Manufacturers also have production capacity in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
How important is the US market for India?
The US accounted for 72.5 per cent of India’s quartz surface-product exports in FY2026, according to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). India exported $233.3 million worth of agglomerated-quartz slabs and certain quartz and glass surface products to the US during the year.
This high dependence on one market leaves Indian manufacturers particularly exposed to changes in US trade policy.
India initiates consultations at the WTO
Indian exports of quartz surface products worth $233.3 million to the US will now face safeguard tariffs of 25-55 per cent. These products, widely used in countertops, bathroom walls and flooring, are manufactured mainly in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Telangana.
Under WTO rules, the US has to enter into consultations within 30 days of receiving India’s request. If the issue is not resolved within 60 days, India can seek the establishment of a WTO panel.
The US safeguard is scheduled to remain in place for four years, from August 15, 2026, to August 14, 2030.
Imports within the quota will attract an additional 25 per cent duty, while shipments above the quota will face a 50 per cent tariff.
This means quartz countertop slabs that previously entered the US without a tariff will now face duties of 25-50 per cent. Covered glass products, which already attract a 5 per cent tariff, will face an overall duty burden of 30-55 per cent.
What does the safeguard mean for India?
The development comes as India and the US continue negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement. The two countries reached a framework for an interim trade agreement in February and have since been discussing a broader deal covering areas such as market access, non-tariff barriers, customs and investment.
In July, the US imposed a 10 per cent Section 301 tariff on most imports from India as part of investigations into how countries enforce prohibitions on imports linked to forced labour. India was among 60 economies covered by the investigations.
GTRI’s Srivastava said India sought consultations with the US at the WTO on August 14, a day before the safeguard took effect. “This is not yet a formal WTO dispute. India may use the consultations to challenge the US findings on increased imports, serious injury and causation, while seeking an exemption, a country-specific quota or modification of the measure,” he said.
Srivastava said India had moved late in the process. The US industry filed its petition in September 2025, the investigation began in November, the US International Trade Commission (USITC) found serious injury in April 2026 and the safeguard was announced on July 31.
“Earlier intervention could have given India more time to contest the findings and negotiate protection for exporters before the measure was finalised,” he said.
He said Indian manufacturers are especially vulnerable because they have developed slab sizes, designs, certifications and distribution networks specifically for the large US countertop market. Finding alternative markets quickly will therefore be difficult.
Indian exports of these products to the US had already declined 35 per cent in FY2026. The new safeguard was not responsible for that fall, but the US investigation, existing trade-remedy duties, uncertainty among buyers and competition from other suppliers may have played a role, he said.
“New Delhi must now seek an exemption or negotiated quota, transparent quota administration and relief from cumulative duties, while preserving its right to initiate a formal WTO challenge,” the GTRI founder said.
Srivastava said the wider lesson for India is that heavy dependence on a single export market can leave an industry vulnerable to sudden trade action. “When more than 70 per cent of an industry’s exports depend on one market, a single trade measure can cause lasting damage,” he said.
