INDUSTRY
Indian toys look to occupy US shelves as steep tariff deters Chinese imports
- IBJ Bureau
- Apr 14, 2025
As US-China tariff war intensifies, Indian toy 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 has said.
The US recently imposed a steep 145 per cent tariff on toy imports from China, a move that could reshape the global toy trade.
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 alternative suppliers, the official has added.
Akshay Binjrajka, the president of the Toy Association of India, has told the PTI that India is well-positioned to fill the emerging vacuum.
“The US toy market, valued at around $41.7 billion, offers a massive opportunity for Indian manufacturers,” he has said, adding that Indian products can now compete with Chinese offerings on both quality and price.
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 boost in domestic sourcing.
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