Morbi in Gujarat is the heart of India’s tile-making business. Almost everyone in the country who buys tiles knows this name. From homes to big commercial projects, a large portion of tiles comes from Morbi. But right now, in March 2026, most factories there have stopped work because of a serious problem linked to the war in West Asia.
This situation has created confusion and concern for manufacturers, dealers, builders, and even end customers. Many people are asking the same question: When will production start again? Because when Morbi stops, the impact is not local; it affects the entire tile market across India and even exports.
The main issue is not inside Morbi, but outside India. Due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, gas supply has been disrupted. Since the ceramic industry depends heavily on gas for production, factories have no option but to shut down temporarily. This has slowed down supply, increased uncertainty, and may even affect prices in the coming weeks.
What is the Morbi Tile Industry?
Morbi is a city in Gujarat that is famous for making tiles and sanitaryware (like sinks and toilets). It is one of the biggest ceramic production hubs in the world, second only to China.
There are around 670 to 700 factories in Morbi. Together, they produce a huge amount of tiles; about 80–90% of India’s total tile exports come from here. The entire industry is worth around ₹65,000 crore (about $7 billion).
Most factories in Morbi run almost all the time, day and night. To make tiles, they use large machines called kilns, which heat the tiles at very high temperatures. For this process, they need fuel, mainly natural gas or propane (similar to cooking gas).
This gas mostly comes from Gulf countries like Qatar and the UAE. It is transported by ships through an important route called the Strait of Hormuz.
This route is very important for the world’s oil and gas supply. If there is any problem or conflict in this area, the supply of gas gets affected, and industries like Morbi suffer immediately.
Why Did the Factories Shut Down?
The problem started at the end of February 2026 because of the war in West Asia. The US and Israel attacked Iran, and Iran responded strongly. One major impact was on the Strait of Hormuz, an important route for oil and gas transport.
Due to the conflict, Iran started blocking and attacking ships in this area. Because of this, ship movement dropped heavily, almost 97% less traffic than normal. Gas tankers were not able to pass smoothly.
This created a big shortage of propane and natural gas in India. Companies like Gujarat Gas and Indian Oil either reduced or stopped gas supply to Morbi factories. At the same time, gas prices also increased a lot.
At first, smaller factories that depend on propane had to shut down. After that, even bigger factories using natural gas were forced to stop work.
By mid-March, around 430 to 450 factories were already closed. On 18 March, the Morbi Ceramic Manufacturing Association held a meeting and decided that about 430 units would remain shut for three weeks.
Factories are using this shutdown time to do machine maintenance, which usually happens in April. The association president, Manoj Arvadiya, clearly said that factories will restart only when gas supply becomes stable and affordable.
Right now, around 80% of the large units are closed. A few smaller factories are still running using leftover gas, but most have stopped completely.
When Will the Factories Restart?
Right now, factories are expected to restart around mid-April 2026, possibly between 10 and 15 April, depending on the situation.
At that time, factory owners will review the gas situation. If supply becomes normal, most units will start together. But this is not a fixed date; it depends on a few important things.
First, the war situation must calm down so that ships can move safely again through the Strait of Hormuz. Second, gas companies need to receive a fresh supply and provide it to factories at reasonable prices.
As of 20 March 2026, the conflict is still ongoing. Because of this, no one can say the exact restart date with full confidence. Industry leaders have clearly said that if the situation continues, the shutdown may extend to 30–45 days or even up to two months.
Still, most people in the industry are hoping that things improve by mid-April.
The good part is that factories are currently doing maintenance work. So once gas supply starts again, they can restart production quickly without much delay.
How Bad Is This for the Industry and People?
- Jobs: This cluster gives work to around 9 lakh people directly and indirectly. Many workers have been sent home or given food and stay in factory quarters so they don’t leave.
- Prices: Tile prices have already gone up by ₹2-3 per square foot. Some traders say prices may rise 10-20% more if the shutdown lasts longer. People planning to build or renovate houses will feel this.
- Exports: Morbi sends tiles to the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Orders are getting delayed. If this goes on, buyers may look for tiles from China or other places.
- Domestic market: India may face a short supply of tiles after April if factories stay closed.
This is not the first problem Morbi has faced. They survived COVID, and high gas prices earlier, but this fuel crisis is sudden and big.
How the West Asia War Blocked Gas Supplies (Simple Explanation)
Let’s understand in simple words how a war happening far away in West Asia affected Morbi so badly.
The problem started at the end of February 2026. The US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran, and Iran responded strongly. One of the biggest impacts was on a very important sea route called the Strait of Hormuz.
This route is like a narrow gateway between the Persian Gulf and the open sea. A large part of the world’s oil and gas passes through this route. India also depends on it for fuel imports from countries like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
When the conflict increased, Iran started blocking and targeting ships in this area. Because of this, ship movement dropped sharply. Many reports say traffic reduced by almost 90–97%. Gas tankers were delayed or could not pass safely.
Morbi factories depend heavily on fuel to run their kilns. Around 70% of units use propane, and the rest use natural gas. Both fuels mostly come from the Gulf through ships.
When ships stopped coming, the supply quickly became short. Many factories had only a few days of stock left. After that, gas companies like Gujarat Gas and Indian Oil reduced or stopped supply. In some cases, supply was cut by nearly 50%.
Without gas, factories cannot run. Tiles need very high heat to be made properly. So first, smaller propane-based units shut down. Then larger natural gas units also had to stop.
In just a few weeks, a problem thousands of kilometres away completely slowed down Morbi’s tile production.
Conclusion
Most Morbi tile factories are likely to restart around the second week of April 2026, roughly between 10 and 15 April, but only if gas supply improves. The exact timing still depends on how the war situation develops. For now, the industry has taken a planned pause and is using this time for maintenance while waiting for fuel supply to return.