KIDS INDIA MAGAZINE JULY 2017 ISSUE | Page 6

THE INDIAN TOY SCENE & KIDS INDIA A GROWING FORCE Steve Reece Kids Brand Insight India is a growing force in the global toy industry. As one of the fastest growing economies in the world with more than 1.3 billion people, India has been on the radar for some time. However, economic develop- ment has not always permeated to all in Indian society & moreover, toy companies have sometimes strug- gled to build critical mass in what is admittedly one of the most fragmented toy markets in the world. Mumbai each September. This year, the 5th Kids India event will be held at the Bombay Convention & Exhi- bition Centre between 20-22 September. The show features more than 150 exhibitors and over 5,000 visitors. For those with an interest in either growing distribution in India or exploring manufacturing opportunities on the sub-continent, Kids India is clearly the place to be. In the last two to three years, aside from the distribu- tion opportunity on offer, India has also risen as a worthy up and comer to China’s global dominance of toy manufacturing. Major global toy companies have either already embraced or are beginning to embrace India as the next global hub for toy manufacturing. Visitors to Kids India may find the following market insights useful: This then is a very good time for Kids India – the lead- ing international toy trade show for India, held in Page 04 | Kids India Mag Issue: July 2017 DISTRIBUTION In terms of market size, the Indian toy market is estimated to be worth around $450m USD, although it’s quite difficult to accurately quantify this for sure. The reason for that is that retail is not dominated by