NEW DELHI, May 21 (AFP) - Indian tyre exports plunged 11 percent in the financial year to March due to bruising competition from Japan, an industry association said Friday. Export earnings fell to eight billion rupees (190 million dolars) from nine billion rupees in the previous fiscal year, the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) said. "Indian manufacturers are facing the heat from Japanese competition," said ATMA director general D. Ravindran. India has traditionally dominated the volume-driven cross-ply tyre market, whereas Japan has largely ignored this low-end segment for the more lucrative radial tyre market. However, Ravindran said Japanese tyre makers had changed tack this year. "With the economic slowdown affecting the demand for radial tyres, Japan's tyremakers have been forced to target sales from the cross-ply tyre market to keep their factories from idling," he said. At the same time, cheaper Southeast Asian currencies have made Indian exports less competitive. "Southeast Asian countries have been able to reduce their export prices in dollar terms thanks to the severe depreciation in their local currencies," said Ravindran. Indian tyremakers, meanwhile, say their raw material costs have risen 10-fold while the rupee has remained stable against the dollar.  