Government initiatives curbed import of toys by 50%: DPIIT Secretary

Rajesh Kumar Singh, secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), highlighted the significant impact of government initiatives on the toy industry in India.

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Singh reported a 50 per cent reduction in toy imports over the past decade, attributing this to measures such as the National Action Plan for Toys (NAPT), higher import duties, and mandatory quality control orders designed to prevent the influx of substandard toys.

Singh said, "Today's interaction between major retail players like Flipkart and various members of the toy association and enterprises that make toys is meant to promote the sourcing of toys from India for the majors, both for India and for the international market."

He further said, "And you will be aware that due to the various initiatives by the government, including the National Toy Action Plan, the higher import duty combined with mandatory quality control orders, the dumping of substandard toys in the toy industry and in India has shown significant growth in the last two years."

"Exports have gone up over 200 per cent and imports is plunged by about 50 per cent. This initiative today is part of that ongoing initiative to ensure that more and more of our products from our toy industry find access to national and international markets through major retailers like Flipkart and Amazon," he added.

Singh also mentioned the workshop organised by DPIIT on Wednesday, which was attended by major retail players like Flipkart and Amazon, members of the Toy Association and enterprises involved in toy manufacturing. The focus of the workshop was to promote the sourcing of toys from India for both domestic and international markets.

He emphasised that this workshop is part of an ongoing initiative to enhance the accessibility of Indian toy products in national and international markets through these major retail platforms.

Sanjiv Singh, Joint Secretary of DPIIT, elaborated on the success of these initiatives, noting a remarkable growth in the Indian toy industry.In FY 2022-23, toy exports increased by 239 per cent compared to FY 2014-15, and there has been a notable improvement in the quality of toys available in the domestic market.

He mentioned that DPIIT conducted a workshop with Flipkart and the Indian Toy Industry to further promote growth, market access, and the development of modern marketing skills.

The workshop saw participation from Flipkart, Walmart, and the Toy Association of India, with around 100 attendees.

The workshop aimed to enhance India's position and capabilities in the global toy supply chain, helping manufacturers understand online selling's intricacies to boost sales and market access.

According to DPIIT, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has granted over 1,400 licences to domestic manufacturers and more than 30 licences to foreign manufacturers for producing toys that meet BIS standards.

Additionally, a cluster-based approach has been adopted to support the domestic toy industry.The Ministry of MSME is supporting 19 toy clusters under the Scheme of Funds for the Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI), and the Ministry of Textiles is providing design and tooling support to 26 toy clusters.

Several promotional initiatives, such as the Indian Toy Fair 2021 and Toycathon, have also been undertaken to promote indigenous toys and encourage innovation.Through these efforts, DPIIT aims to synergize the industry with online marketplaces, thereby creating opportunities for growth.