<p>Kolkata: As the US-China tariff war intensifies, the Indian <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/toys">toy</a> industry leaders are calling the situation a “golden opportunity” to position India as a major export hub for toys, especially to the United States, a trade body official said on Monday.</p>.<p>The US recently imposed a steep 145 per cent tariff on toy imports from China — a move that could reshape the global toy trade.</p>.<p>China, which previously accounted for nearly 77 per cent of US toy imports, is expected to see a significant drop in exports due to the high tariff, opening up space for alternate suppliers, the official said.</p>.<p>Akshay Binjrajka, President of Bharat Toy Association, told PTI that India is well-positioned to fill the emerging vacuum.</p>.As global economy ravaged by tariffs, how India can use it to its advantage.<p>The US toy market, valued at around $41.7 billion, offers a massive opportunity for Indian manufacturers,” he said, adding that Indian products can now compete with Chinese offerings on both quality and price.</p>.<p>India’s toy exports have already witnessed a steady rise — from $40 million in 2014-15 to an estimated $152 million in 2023-24. More notably, toy imports from China to India have plunged from $235 million in FY20 to just $41 million in FY24, after India imposed strict control norms on imports and boosted domestic sourcing.</p>.<p>“The Indian toy sector, once import-dependent, is now transforming with local manufacturers scaling up to meet domestic demand and aiming for global markets,” said Binjrajka, who also chairs the Toy sub-committee at the Bharat Chamber of Commerce.</p>.<p>Despite policy tightening, he warned that “cheap, unregulated Chinese toys continue to flood the Indian market, and might get intensified after US tariffs,” hurting domestic capacity and profitability.</p>.<p>He urged the Centre to enforce stricter checks at ports and called on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to curb the entry of substandard toys.</p>.<p>Binjrajka also appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to support the state’s toy industry by developing a dedicated cluster — a longstanding demand.</p>.<p>“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.</p>.<p>He emphasised that the toy sector, a major MSME employer, could significantly boost investment and jobs in West Bengal. “If India becomes a global toy supplier, Bengal must lead that movement,” he asserted. </p>
<p>Kolkata: As the US-China tariff war intensifies, the Indian <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/toys">toy</a> industry leaders are calling the situation a “golden opportunity” to position India as a major export hub for toys, especially to the United States, a trade body official said on Monday.</p>.<p>The US recently imposed a steep 145 per cent tariff on toy imports from China — a move that could reshape the global toy trade.</p>.<p>China, which previously accounted for nearly 77 per cent of US toy imports, is expected to see a significant drop in exports due to the high tariff, opening up space for alternate suppliers, the official said.</p>.<p>Akshay Binjrajka, President of Bharat Toy Association, told PTI that India is well-positioned to fill the emerging vacuum.</p>.As global economy ravaged by tariffs, how India can use it to its advantage.<p>The US toy market, valued at around $41.7 billion, offers a massive opportunity for Indian manufacturers,” he said, adding that Indian products can now compete with Chinese offerings on both quality and price.</p>.<p>India’s toy exports have already witnessed a steady rise — from $40 million in 2014-15 to an estimated $152 million in 2023-24. More notably, toy imports from China to India have plunged from $235 million in FY20 to just $41 million in FY24, after India imposed strict control norms on imports and boosted domestic sourcing.</p>.<p>“The Indian toy sector, once import-dependent, is now transforming with local manufacturers scaling up to meet domestic demand and aiming for global markets,” said Binjrajka, who also chairs the Toy sub-committee at the Bharat Chamber of Commerce.</p>.<p>Despite policy tightening, he warned that “cheap, unregulated Chinese toys continue to flood the Indian market, and might get intensified after US tariffs,” hurting domestic capacity and profitability.</p>.<p>He urged the Centre to enforce stricter checks at ports and called on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to curb the entry of substandard toys.</p>.<p>Binjrajka also appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to support the state’s toy industry by developing a dedicated cluster — a longstanding demand.</p>.<p>“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.</p>.<p>He emphasised that the toy sector, a major MSME employer, could significantly boost investment and jobs in West Bengal. “If India becomes a global toy supplier, Bengal must lead that movement,” he asserted. </p>