Tyre exports rise 16% to ₹7,700 crore in Q1

Key takeaways

• India’s tyre exports rose 16% to about ₹7,700 crore in the first quarter.
• The increase came despite weak demand and trade risks in major markets.
• Tyre makers are using India’s production base to serve customers abroad.
• Higher shipping, raw material and compliance costs still threaten margins.

India’s tyre exports reached about ₹7,700 crore in the first quarter, up 16% from a year earlier. Tyre exports means tyres sold by Indian companies to buyers in other countries. The rise shows overseas demand held up despite a tough global market. It also gives India’s tyre makers a useful cushion as local competition grows.

Why did tyre exports rise in the first quarter?

The Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association, or ATMA, reported the increase. ATMA is the industry body that represents India’s tyre makers. The data covers the April-to-June quarter.

Exports in the same period last year were about ₹6,640 crore, based on the 16% rise reported by ATMA. That means Indian companies added roughly ₹1,060 crore in overseas sales in one year. The figure is an estimate because the reported growth rate is rounded.

Demand from replacement markets helped support shipments. Replacement markets are sales to vehicle owners who need new tyres, rather than sales to car factories. These sales can stay steadier because people replace worn tyres even when new car sales slow.

What are global headwinds for tyre makers?

Global headwinds are outside forces that make business harder. They include slower economic growth, uncertain trade rules, high freight costs and pressure on raw material prices.

Tyre companies also face different safety and environmental rules in each market. Meeting those rules can add testing, paperwork and factory costs. So, a rise in export value does not always mean the same rise in profit.

India’s tyre exports rose because overseas orders remained strong enough to offset a difficult global environment, according to the ATMA data.

Trade barriers could become a bigger risk. A tariff is a tax charged on imported goods. If another country raises tariffs on Indian tyres, the final price may increase and buyers could shift to another supplier.

How big is the export increase?

Measure	First quarter result	What it shows
Export value	₹7,700 crore	Sales made in overseas markets
Year-on-year growth	16%	Growth from the same quarter last year
Estimated year-ago value	₹6,640 crore	Approximate base for comparison
Increase in value	About ₹1,060 crore	Estimated annual gain

The numbers point to a solid start, but one quarter cannot prove a long-term trend. Tyre exports must keep rising through the rest of the year for the industry to claim a lasting shift.

India tyre exports, ₹ crore6,6407,700Last yearThis year

What does the result mean for Indian tyre companies?

Export growth can help companies spread their sales across more countries. That matters because a slowdown in India then has less effect on total business.

India also has a large vehicle market and a wide supplier network. This helps tyre makers produce many types of tyres, from small two-wheeler tyres to heavy truck tyres. Companies can use that scale to compete on price and delivery time.

But exports bring their own risks. A weaker rupee can make Indian goods cheaper for overseas buyers, while it can also raise the cost of imported rubber, chemicals and machinery. Currency movement is the change in the value of one country’s money against another.

Shipping costs may also cut into earnings. Tyres take up a lot of space, so freight bills can quickly reduce the money left after a sale. Makers must therefore watch both export volumes and profit per tyre.

Can tyre exports keep growing?

The next few quarters will show whether the first-quarter rise can last. Companies will need steady orders, reliable ports and stable access to key materials.

They may also need to move into higher-value products. These include tyres for electric vehicles, aircraft, mining trucks and premium passenger cars. Such products can earn more than basic tyres, but they need more research and strict quality checks.

India’s tyre industry can also benefit from firms seeking suppliers outside a single country. This shift is called supply-chain diversification. It means a buyer uses several countries instead of depending on one source.

Still, buyers will compare price, quality and delivery speed. The strongest exporters will be those that meet all three needs. For now, ATMA’s figure shows that Indian tyre makers are gaining ground abroad, even as global trade stays uncertain.

Readers can review industry updates through the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association, which publishes information on India’s tyre sector.

FAQs

What are tyre exports?

Tyre exports are tyres made in India and sold to buyers in other countries.

How much did India’s tyre exports grow?

They rose 16% year on year to about ₹7,700 crore in the first quarter.

Why do tyre exports matter?

They bring overseas revenue, support factory jobs and reduce reliance on India’s domestic market.