India is aiming to capture around 5% of the global toy market by accelerating exports and building a manufacturing ecosystem similar to Vietnam’s successful export-led model. The country’s toy industry is focusing on improving production capacity, quality standards and global competitiveness to expand its presence in international markets.
Industry stakeholders believe India has significant potential to become a major toy manufacturing hub, supported by a large domestic market, skilled workforce and growing capabilities in areas such as plastic toys, educational products, electronic toys and traditional handicrafts. However, achieving a larger global share will require greater investment in scale, technology, supply chains and compliance with international safety standards.
Vietnam’s rapid rise as a toy export hub has been driven by strong manufacturing clusters, integration into global supply chains and its ability to attract foreign investment. Indian manufacturers are looking to adopt similar strategies by strengthening clusters, improving logistics efficiency and encouraging partnerships with global toy brands.
Government initiatives, including higher quality controls on toy imports and measures to promote domestic manufacturing, have helped boost local production. India’s toy exports have grown in recent years, but the country still remains a small player compared with leading exporters such as China and Vietnam.
To achieve the 5% global market share target, the industry will need to scale up production, reduce costs, enhance product innovation and expand access to key overseas markets. A stronger export ecosystem could create new opportunities for manufacturers, artisans and small businesses across India’s toy value chain.
