West Asia crisis hurting Indian tea exporters

Key points

• India’s tea industry captains, feeling the pinch due to the West Asia conflict, on Thursday (May 21, 2026) observed one of the gloomiest International Tea Days since it became a calendar event in 2005. According to the Indian Tea Association (ITA), the largest tea planters’ body in the country, the West Asia crisis has affected exports to countries around the Gulf of Persia and the Gulf of Oman.
• About 87% of India’s total tea exports are concentrated in 21 countries across Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and West Asia.
• Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt account for 46% of the exports.
• The conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran began in February.
• Tea exports registered a declining trend between January and March compared to the corresponding period in 2025, reflecting lower export volumes across both North India and South India.