New Delhi, June 14 -- Rising gas prices due to war in the Middle East are likely to accelerate consolidation in India's tile manufacturing sector, with nearly 20 per cent of the country's inefficient tile plants expected to shut down in the coming years, according to Abhishek Somany, Managing Director and CEO of Somany Ceramics.

In an exclusive interview with LiveMint at the company's Noida office this week, Somany said higher energy costs, expensive imported machinery and growing inefficiencies among smaller manufacturers are reshaping the industry, particularly in Gujarat's Morbi cluster, the country's tile manufacturing hub.

Despite these challenges, Somany remains optimistic about demand prospects, citing a strong real estate pipeli...