India's toy industry eyes Middle East expansion via UAE gateway
Fuelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for local manufacturing and zero-duty access to the UAE market, India has witnessed a dramatic transformation: toy exports have soared by a remarkable 240 per cent while imports have been halved in the past decade.
This phenomenal growth positions India to aggressively push high-quality toys to the UAE and beyond, cementing its role as a global production powerhouse. The Toy Biz 2025 exhibition (July 4-7, New Delhi), featuring nearly 400 Indian brands and anticipating presence from Minister Piyush Goyal, offers a direct channel for international buyers to tap into India's evolving and inventive production prowess.
'The UAE's zero-duty access gives Indian manufacturers like us a gateway into a high-potential, quality-conscious market,' stated Pawan Gupta, Managing Director - RPH India and Middle East, and Head Convener of The Toy Association of India. 'This shift in India's toy exports isn't just encouraging — it's strategic. However, competing globally means more than just low cost — it means creating IP-driven toys, investing in child-safe innovation, and delivering on storytelling. The government has laid the foundation; now it's on us to evolve from contract manufacturers to brand creators. We must keep investing in R&D, build stronger brands and ensure that 'Made in India' stands for imagination, not just affordability.'
The domestic market, currently valued at $1.9 billion, is projected to reach $3 billion by 2028, underscoring India's ascent as a global leader in toy production. This momentum is further bolstered by regulatory oversight, strategic promotion of local manufacturing clusters, and significant investments from major global players who have established manufacturing bases in India, contributing substantially to local value addition.
The industry's competitive edge is driven by lower labour costs, abundant raw materials, and efficient manufacturing infrastructure. New trends, including IoT-enabled toys and sustainability-focused practices, are further propelling the sector into future-ready territory, while exports continue to diversify geographically across the US, UK, Netherlands, Germany, and critically, the Middle East and Africa.
In a concerted effort to accelerate this upward momentum, Invest India, in collaboration with The Toy Association of India (TAI), will host the third edition of the Global Toys CEO Meet on July 4 at the Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi. This event, themed 'Innovate & Play', will convene leading stakeholders, including domestic and global toy brands, senior government officials, and large-scale retailers.
The Global Toys CEO Meet is an integral part of the 16th Toy Biz International B2B Exhibition, South Asia's largest toy fair, running from July 4th to 7th, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
The consistent collaborative efforts between the Indian toy industry and the government are essential to firmly positioning India as a competitive alternative to established toy manufacturing hubs across Asia.
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