Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday, 8 July 2026 said India's toy industry is advancing toward self-reliance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, citing a 71 per cent fall in toy imports compared to 2019 levels as evidence of the government's manufacturing push.

Posting in Hindi on X, the minister said: 'माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी जी के विजन से आज भारतीय खिलौना उद्योग आत्मनिर्भरता की ओर बढ़ रहा है' ['Under the vision of honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian toy industry is today moving toward self-reliance']. He attributed the import decline to stricter quality standards, promotion of domestic manufacturing, and industry-friendly policies. The minister also set out an ambitious target: making India a global toy hub with a 25 per cent share of the world toy market by 2032.

Context

India's toy sector was long dominated by low-cost imports, particularly from China, which accounted for the bulk of toys sold in the domestic market. The shift began around 2020 when the government introduced the Toys (Quality Control) Order, mandating Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for both imported and domestically produced toys. The measure effectively raised the compliance bar for foreign suppliers and gave domestic manufacturers a more level playing field.

The Make in India programme, launched in September 2014, and the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, announced in May 2020, together form the policy scaffold underpinning this transformation. Both schemes aim to reduce import dependence and build India's position in global manufacturing value chains.

Policy Backdrop

The BIS Quality Control Order on toys is a non-tariff instrument that requires products to meet Indian safety standards before they can enter the market. Its enforcement from 2020 onward created a significant compliance burden for foreign exporters, many of whom found the certification process costly or time-consuming. Domestic producers, by contrast, were simultaneously supported through cluster development programmes and easier access to formal credit under the MSME framework.

This combination of import-substitution policy and domestic capacity building mirrors the approach applied to other consumer-goods sectors under Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The government has also explored production-linked incentive structures for labour-intensive industries, and the toy sector has been identified as a priority area for employment generation, particularly in MSME clusters in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Rajasthan.

Stakeholders and Impact

Domestic toy manufacturers and MSME clusters stand to gain most directly from the import reduction. A shrinking share for imported toys translates into expanded shelf space and market opportunity for Indian producers, many of whom operate at small or medium scale. The sector is also a significant employer of semi-skilled labour, and growth in domestic production carries multiplier effects for ancillary industries including plastics, textiles, and electronics components used in toys.

For consumers, the policy shift raises questions about price and variety: quality standards protect buyers from unsafe products, but reduced import competition can, over time, affect pricing. The government's stated export ambition — a 25 per cent global market share by 2032 — would require Indian manufacturers to compete on cost, design, and quality at an international level, a considerably larger challenge than substituting imports at home.

What's Next

The 2032 global market share target will be closely watched by industry bodies and trade analysts. Achieving it would require sustained investment in design capabilities, supply-chain logistics, and international marketing — areas where India's toy sector is still maturing. Upcoming Union Budgets will be scrutinised for any new cluster-development funds, PLI-style incentives, or export-promotion schemes tailored to the sector.

Progress on BIS enforcement outcomes and the development of state-level toy parks will serve as near-term indicators of whether the policy momentum is being translated into durable industrial capacity. The minister's post, tagged with #MakeInIndia, #AatmanirbharBharat, #ToyIndustry, and #ViksitBharat, signals that the sector will remain a visible part of the government's manufacturing narrative in the run-up to the next electoral cycle.