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Export cement and clinker

Bagged and bulk cement for neighbours — Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan lead.

Free to exportHS 2523
HS code
2523
Portland, slag, aluminous and similar hydraulic cements, whether or not coloured, and cement clinker.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2 (no condition listed). Confirm the current entry on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before you sign a contract.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 43 mn
to 30 countries

What is exported

India is one of the world's largest cement producers, but most output is used at home and exports are small. Coastal plants in Gujarat and South India ship bagged and bulk cement and clinker; land routes serve Nepal and Bhutan. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 43 million under HS 2523; Sri Lanka took more than half, followed by Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Ordinary Portland cement (OPC)Grades such as 43 and 53, or the buyer's standard classes.
  • Blended cements (PPC and slag cement)Fly-ash and slag blends, common in South Asia.
  • ClinkerSemi-finished product shipped in bulk to grinding units abroad.
  • White and special cementsWhite cement and oil-well cement for niche buyers.

Where it is grown or made

  • GujaratKutch and the Saurashtra coast — coastal plants near Mundra, Pipavav and Porbandar
  • Andhra Pradesh and Tamil NaduPlants supplying Sri Lanka and the Maldives through Krishnapatnam, Chennai and Tuticorin
  • Bihar, West Bengal and North-EastPlants and grinding units supplying Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh by road

Export packing

  • 50 kg HDPE or paper-laminated bags (or the buyer's bag size), palletised or loose in containers.
  • Jumbo bags (about 1–2 tonnes) or bulk carriers for large orders and clinker.

Who buys abroad

  • Cement distributors and building-material traders
  • Construction companies and government projects
  • Grinding units abroad (clinker)
  • Ready-mix concrete producers

The quality buyers ask for

Compressive strength
Strength class at 28 days (for example 42.5 or 52.5 MPa under EN 197-1, or 43/53 grade OPC)
Setting time
Initial and final setting time within the standard's limits
Fineness and soundness
Blaine fineness and expansion (soundness) tests
Chemistry
Limits on MgO, SO₃, chloride and loss on ignition

Certificates

  • Mill test certificateRequiredLot-wise test results; required by every buyer.
  • Destination product certificationRequiredSome countries require their own standard mark or import inspection for cement — confirm with the importer.
  • CBAM emissions data (EU)Often askedEmbedded-emissions data from the plant for EU importers.
  • Pre-shipment inspectionOften askedIndependent quality and quantity survey, common for bulk and LC deals.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Bagged cement in a 20-ft container typically reaches about 25–27 tonnes, limited by weight; large orders go in bulk carriers or as break-bulk.

How it travels

Sea from Gujarat and South Indian ports; road and rail to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Storage

Keep bags dry, off the floor and covered; use stock within the buyer's age limit.

Shelf life

Strength falls with age and moisture; buyers usually set a maximum age at delivery.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Bag print: brand, cement type and strength class, standard, net weight, manufacture date or week, plant and "Made in India".
  • Destination standard marks where required.
  • Handling instructions such as "Keep dry".
Where to get it tested

The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM) tests cement and clinker. Plant laboratories issue mill test certificates; for buyer-nominated tests, use NABL-accredited cement labs.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • CAPEXILCement, clinker and asbestos-cement products are listed under CAPEXIL in Appendix 2T.capexil.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • Buyer-country standards: many importers ask for cement tested to their national standard or to EN 197-1 or ASTM C150, and some (for example Sri Lanka) inspect imported cement against their own standard — confirm with the buyer.
  • Mill test certificate per lot: compressive strength at 3, 7 and 28 days, setting time, fineness and chemical composition.
  • EU: cement and clinker are covered by the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) — EU importers need emissions data from the plant.
How to start small

Cement is a low-value, heavy product, so freight decides the deal. A newcomer can trade bagged cement from a plant near the border or a port to a distributor in Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka or the Maldives, with the plant's test certificate and a pre-shipment inspection.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Cement setting in torn or damp bags — use laminated or multi-wall bags and keep containers dry.
  • Quoting without checking freight and port charges — a small freight rise can wipe out the margin.
  • Cement older than the buyer accepts — strength falls with age; agree the maximum age at arrival.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (6)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 2523 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. CAPEXIL — official site
  5. European Commission — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
  6. National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM)

Trade data

Indian cement and clinker exports in numbers

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

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 43 mn
-18.3% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -14.3%
US$ 50.2 mn → US$ 43 mn
Buyer countries
30
Average export price
US$ 0.05
per kg · 8,00,843 tonnes shipped · US$ 0.05 the year before
Sri Lanka: US$ 24 mnNepal: US$ 6.2 mnMaldives: US$ 4.5 mnBhutan: US$ 3.2 mnThailand: US$ 920kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 710kSaudi Arabia: US$ 590kJapan: US$ 530kIndonesia: US$ 520kTaiwan: US$ 500kVietnam: US$ 320kBangladesh: US$ 280kMalaysia: US$ 250kAustralia: US$ 110kMauritius: US$ 60kOman: US$ 50kQatar: US$ 40kNigeria: US$ 30kSouth Africa: US$ 30kTanzania: US$ 30kCanada: US$ 30kBrazil: US$ 20kMozambique: US$ 20kUnited Kingdom: US$ 20kSri Lanka: US$ 24 mnSri LankaNepal: US$ 6.2 mnNepalMaldives: US$ 4.5 mnBhutan: US$ 3.2 mnThailand: US$ 920kThailandUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 710kUnited Arab EmiratesSaudi Arabia: US$ 590kJapan: US$ 530kJapanIndonesia: US$ 520kIndonesiaTaiwan: US$ 500kVietnam: US$ 320kBangladesh: US$ 280kMalaysia: US$ 250kAustralia: US$ 110kMauritius: US$ 60kOman: US$ 50kQatar: US$ 40kNigeria: US$ 30kSouth Africa: US$ 30kTanzania: US$ 30kCanada: US$ 30kBrazil: US$ 20kMozambique: US$ 20kUnited Kingdom: US$ 20kIndia
Where Indian cement and clinker goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 118 mn1182020-212021-22: US$ 83 mn832021-222022-23: US$ 40.8 mn412022-232023-24: US$ 46.9 mn472023-242024-25: US$ 50.2 mn502024-252025-26: US$ 43 mn432025-26
India’s cement and clinker 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 45% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 0.04 per kg0.042021-22: US$ 0.04 per kg2022-23: US$ 0.06 per kg0.062024-25: US$ 0.05 per kg2025-26: US$ 0.05 per kg0.052020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian cement and clinker · 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$ 118 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 83 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 40.8 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 46.9 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 50.2 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 43 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 30.8 mn (US$ 20.9 mn – US$ 45.5 mn)312026-272027-28: US$ 25.7 mn (US$ 16.6 mn – US$ 39.6 mn)262027-28
India’s cement and clinker exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 25.7 mn

Likely range US$ 16.6 mn to US$ 39.6 mn.

Trend
-16.8% a year
Fit (R²)
0.65
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
1Sri LankaUS$ 24 mn-30.6%
2NepalUS$ 6.2 mn+210.1%
3MaldivesUS$ 4.5 mn-28.9%
4BhutanUS$ 3.2 mn+13.1%
5ThailandUS$ 920k+70.4%
6United Arab EmiratesUS$ 710k0%
7Saudi ArabiaUS$ 590k+22.9%
8JapanUS$ 530k0%
9IndonesiaUS$ 520k+52.9%
10TaiwanUS$ 500k+25%
11VietnamUS$ 320k-5.9%
12BangladeshUS$ 280k+180%

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. NepalUS$ 2 mn → US$ 6.2 mn+210.1%
  2. BhutanUS$ 2.8 mn → US$ 3.2 mn+13.1%

Low demand

  1. Sri LankaUS$ 34.6 mn → US$ 24 mn-30.6%
  2. MaldivesUS$ 6.3 mn → US$ 4.5 mn-28.9%

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
Ordinary portland cement, dry2523 29 10 · Cement, portland, other than white, whether or not artificially colouredUS$ 18 mn-18.3%3,58,099 tonnesUS$ 0.05 per kgwas US$ 0.05
Cement clinkers — cement clinkers2523 10 00US$ 6.7 mn+191.3%1,45,489 tonnesUS$ 0.05 per kgwas US$ 0.06
Other hydraulic cements not elsewhere specified2523 90 90 · Cement, hydraulic kinds in heading no. 2523US$ 6.4 mn-66.2%1,48,994 tonnesUS$ 0.04 per kgwas US$ 0.04
Other portland cement not elsewhere specified2523 29 90 · Cement, portland, other than white, whether or not artificially colouredUS$ 5.2 mn+689.4%1,22,507 tonnesUS$ 0.04 per kgwas US$ 0.08
Cement, aluminous, whether or not coloured or in the form of clinkers — aluminous cement2523 30 00US$ 4 mn+20.8%5,386 tonnesUS$ 0.73 per kgwas US$ 0.67
White cement whether or not artificially clrd2523 21 00 · Cement, portland, white, whether or not artificially colouredUS$ 1.7 mn-1.2%12,774 tonnesUS$ 0.13 per kgwas US$ 0.14
High alumina refractory cement2523 90 20 · Cement, hydraulic kinds in heading no. 2523US$ 720k+1.4%1,205 tonnesUS$ 0.60 per kgwas US$ 0.56
Cement, portland, other than white, whether or not artificially coloured — portland pozzolana cement2523 29 30US$ 440k-38.9%6,352 tonnesUS$ 0.07 per kgwas US$ 0.08
Cement, portland, other than white, whether or not artificially coloured — portland slag cement2523 29 40US$ 0-100%35 tonnes—

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$ 14.5 bn
2023
India among exporters
#56
of 141 countries
India’s share of world exports
0.3%
US$ 45.5 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 13.6 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1TürkiyeUS$ 1.36 bn 10%
  2. 2Viet NamUS$ 1.22 bn 8.9%
  3. 3EgyptUS$ 776 mn 5.7%
  4. 4GermanyUS$ 694 mn 5.1%
  5. 5United Arab EmiratesUS$ 628 mn 4.6%
  6. 6CanadaUS$ 566 mn 4.1%
  7. 7SpainUS$ 482 mn 3.5%
  8. 8IndonesiaUS$ 405 mn 3%
  9. 9ThailandUS$ 358 mn 2.6%
  10. 10IranUS$ 355 mn 2.6%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 2.7 bn 18.7%
  2. 2FranceUS$ 633 mn 4.4%
  3. 3PhilippinesUS$ 552 mn 3.8%
  4. 4NetherlandsUS$ 507 mn 3.5%
  5. 5IsraelUS$ 444 mn 3.1%
  6. 6AustraliaUS$ 378 mn 2.6%
  7. 7GhanaUS$ 342 mn 2.4%
  8. 8ItalyUS$ 330 mn 2.3%
  9. 9MaliUS$ 303 mn 2.1%
  10. 10SingaporeUS$ 279 mn 1.9%

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$ 2.43 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 2.43 bn
FranceUS$ 531 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 531 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 494 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 494 mn
ItalyUS$ 417 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 417 mn
AustraliaUS$ 378 mnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 378 mn
SingaporeUS$ 239 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 239 mn
KuwaitUS$ 207 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 207 mn
GermanyUS$ 168 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 168 mn
CanadaUS$ 164 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 164 mn
MalaysiaUS$ 130 mnIndia 0.3% · gap US$ 129 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 cement and clinker

India is one of the world's largest cement producers, but its exports are small because most output is used at home and cement is too heavy to ship far profitably. Vietnam, Turkey, China and some Gulf countries are the big exporters of cement and clinker. India's natural markets are its neighbours — Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives and Bangladesh — reached by short sea routes or by road. Demand there follows infrastructure and housing projects. Openings are in bagged cement to island and land-locked neighbours, and clinker to grinding units in the region; the EU's CBAM now adds carbon costs for any shipment to Europe.

  1. 01Find the plant and route

    Pick a plant close to the port or border to keep freight low.

  2. 02Confirm standards

    Agree the cement type, standard and any destination certification.

  3. 03Register

    IEC, GST LUT and RCMC from CAPEXIL.

  4. 04Contract and LC

    Price per tonne; LC with inspection certificate as a document.

  5. 05Inspect and load

    Independent survey of weight and quality at loading.

  6. 06Ship and claim

    File the shipping bill and claim drawback (1%); no RoDTEP line for 2523.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting cement and clinker

Is cement export free?
Yes, HS 2523 has no condition in ITC(HS) Schedule 2. Confirm the entry on DGFT before contracting.
Does cement get RoDTEP?
Chapter 25 is not in the Appendix 4R schedule in force, so no. Duty drawback is 1% of FOB.
Why are exports mostly to neighbours?
Cement is heavy and cheap, so freight quickly eats the margin on long routes.
What is CBAM?
The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which charges for the carbon emitted in making imported cement, steel and some other goods.
Which council covers cement?
CAPEXIL — Appendix 2T lists cement and clinker under it.
Sources (7)
  1. CAPEXIL — official site
  2. European Commission — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
  3. National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM)
  4. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories
  5. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  6. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10.10.2024 (Notification 32/2024-25); rates continued to 31.12.2026 by Notification 41/2026-27
  7. Gazette of India — Notification 77/2023-Customs (N.T.) dated 20.10.2023: All Industry Rates of duty drawback

Who buys Indian cement and clinker

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