New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration’s Make-in-India drive has resulted in a 70% decrease in imports and a 61% increase in exports in the previous three years, according to official figures released on Tuesday. Toy imports in India plummeted from $371 million in fiscal year 2018-19 to $110 million in fiscal year 2021-22, representing a 70.35 percent decrease. Toy imports for HS Code 9503 have declined even quicker, from $304 million in FY 2018-19 to $36 million in FY 2021-22, according to Ministry of Commerce and Industry data.
Over the same time period, exports increased by 61.38 percent. Toy exports climbed by 61.39 percent for HS Codes 9503, 9504, and 9505, from $202 million in FY 2018-19 to $326 million in FY 2021-22. Toy exports climbed from $109 million in fiscal year 2018-19 to $177 million in fiscal year 2021-22 for HS Code 9503. Anil Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), spoke to the media during the 13th edition of the Toy Biz B2B (Business to Business) International Exhibition, and emphasised the prime minister’s clarion call on ‘Rebranding the Indian Toy Story’.
He emphasised the availability of appropriate toys for children, the use of toys as a learning resource, the design of toys based on the Indian value system, Indian history, and culture, and the positioning of India as a worldwide manufacturing powerhouse for toys. He stated that the industry has benefited from a lot of government interventions, and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the Make-in-India initiative. He went on to say that the imports were mostly confined to toy components.
The government’s initiatives to encourage Make-in-India in the toy sector include mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification, quality testing, and an increase in customs tax. The government raised the baseline customs charge on toys from 20% to 60% in February 2020. According to the Quality Control Order (QCO), every toy must meet the requirements of the applicable Indian Standard and wear the Standard Mark under a BIS licence as per Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. This QCO applies to both domestic and international firms that seek to export toys to India.
In December 2020, the QCO on Toys was amended to exempt goods and articles manufactured and sold by artisans registered with the Development Commissioner (M/o Textile), as well as registered proprietors and authorised users of a product registered as Geographical Indication by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks (CGPDTM). On December 17, 2020, BIS created special provisions to award licences to micro-scale units making toys without a testing facility for one year and not to insist on constructing an in-house facility. BIS has issued 843 permits to domestic producers for toy safety, with 645 being given for non-electric toys and 198 being granted for electric toys. In addition, six licences have been given to international toy manufacturers.
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