The US recently imposed a steep 145 per cent tariff on toy imports from China, a country that previously supplied nearly 77 per cent of its toys. This sharp policy shift is expected to drastically cut China's share and open the doors for alternate suppliers—India being a prime contender, PTI reported on Sunday.

Indian toy industry ready to step in

Akshay Binjrajka, President of the Toy Association of India, told PTI that India is uniquely positioned to benefit from this geopolitical shift.

“The US toy market, valued at around USD 41.7 billion, offers a massive opportunity for Indian manufacturers,” Binjrajka said. “Indian products can now compete with Chinese offerings on both quality and price.”

India’s toy exports have already shown robust growth—from USD 40 million in 2014-15 to an estimated USD 152 million in 2023-24. In parallel, imports from China have drastically declined—from USD 235 million in FY20 to just USD 41 million in FY24—thanks to India's tighter import norms and emphasis on domestic manufacturing.

Binjrajka, who also chairs the Toy Sub-Committee at the Bharat Chamber of Commerce, noted, “The Indian toy sector, once heavily import-dependent, is now undergoing a transformation. Local manufacturers are scaling up to meet domestic demand and are now eyeing global markets.”

Challenges remain to re-route supply

Despite India’s growing footprint, Binjrajka cautioned that “cheap, unregulated toys continue to flood the Indian market”, and this influx could increase following the US tariffs as Chinese suppliers look for alternate dumping grounds.

He urged the central government to tighten port checks and called upon the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to crack down on substandard imports to protect the Indian industry’s momentum.

Wet Bengal’s big opportunity in toy manufacturing

Binjrajka also made a direct appeal to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to develop a dedicated toy manufacturing cluster in the state—a long-pending demand of industry stakeholders.

“West Bengal has all the ingredients to become a toy manufacturing hub—strategic location, seaport access, good logistics, raw materials, and labour. But the final push from the state is still missing,” he said.

He emphasized the sector’s potential as a major MSME employer, capable of generating significant investment and jobs in the region. “If India is to become a global toy supplier, Bengal must lead that movement,” he asserted.