Trade relations between India and Oman enter a new era today, June 1, 2026, as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) officially comes into full effect. This development brings structural changes to the global natural stone industry, with the marble sector at the center of the new regulations.
The most significant parameter of the agreement for the natural stone market concerns Oman’s decision to ease its long-standing ban on raw marble block exports, allowing India to secure preferential access to raw materials.
The New Import and Tariff Framework
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Tariff Reduction: India is proceeding with a significant reduction in import duties for marble originating from Oman.
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Quota Regime: Imports of raw blocks will be carried out under a controlled annual quota system.
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Quality Material: The Indian market gains direct access to popular varieties, such as Omani Cream (Omani Beige) marble.
Boosting the Indian Processing Industry
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Domestic Value Added: Importing raw blocks instead of finished slabs shifts the cutting and finishing processes to Indian factories.
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Market Stimulus: This development strengthens the domestic Indian marble market, which is valued at hundreds of billions of rupees.
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Job Creation: Domestic processing is expected to create new jobs in major production hubs, such as Rajasthan (Kishangarh) and Gujarat.
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Competitive Cost: The geographical proximity of the two countries and the direct connection of the Indian port of Mundra with Oman’s strategic ports (Sohar, Salalah, and Duqm), combined with tariff relief, drastically reduce final logistics costs.
Duty Exemption for Indian Exports
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Zero Tariffs: The agreement provides 100% duty exemption for 98% of Indian products entering Oman.
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Building Materials: Indian exporters of finished ceramics, tiles, glassware, and processed granites now gain a strong advantage in the Omani market against international competition.
The implementation of the CEPA creates new dynamics for the flow of natural stones, allowing India to leverage its strong processing infrastructure on Oman’s raw materials.
