Its Time To Be Vocal about local toys; India can become the world's largest toy hub, says PM Modi

• In his radio program, "Mann Ki Baat", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India had the talent and ability to become a toy hub for the entire world.
• He also said the global toy industry was over Rs 7 lakh crore but India’s share was very small.
• He asked young entrepreneurs to develop computer games in India and about India.

In the 68th edition of his monthly radio program "Mann Ki Baat" Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India had the talent and ability to become a toy hub for the entire world and called upon start-ups to work towards realizing this potential while being “vocal about local toys”.

The Prime Minister said that despite India having a rich tradition of local toys and expertise of talented artisans, India's share in the over 7 lakh-crore global toy industry is minuscule.

PM Modi called upon start-up entrepreneurs to ‘team up for toys’ and said that the country needs to leverage on its rich tradition of local toys and grow its share in the global toy industry. 

"Your efforts as today's small start-ups will transform into big companies tomorrow and become mark of India in the world. And you should not forget that the big companies which exist in the world today, were also, once, start-ups," he added.

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The Prime Minister had also recently chaired a meeting aimed at boosting India's share in the global toy trade in which China is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters.

He stressed on the fact that several 'toy clusters' were being developed in India such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Varanasi.

The other issues that were addressed in the program are:

• PM Modi lauded people for maintaining unprecedented restraint and simplicity in celebrating festivals during the Covid-19 pandemic and praised farmers for an increase in the sowing area for crops.
• He praised various apps that were part of 'app innovation challenge'. He said whether it was in the field of computer games or toys, all sectors will need to play an important role in the "Aatmanirbhar Bharath" campaign.
• PM Modi also asked teachers to work to apprise students of local events and heroes of the freedom struggle as India approaches 75 years of Independence in 2022, saying it will bring to the fore stories of lakhs of "unsung heroes", who lived and died for the country but had faded into oblivion.
• He also urged people to raise dogs of Indian breeds at their homes if they consider keeping a pet dog.