Salute to children who say no to foreign toys: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (August 15) saluted children who say ‘no’ to imported toys asserting that Aatmanirbhar Bharat runs through their veins.

In his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the 76th Independence Day, the Prime Minister said the nation’s consciousness has been awakened.

“I want to salute the little children between five and seven years of age. The nation’s consciousness has been awakened. I have heard from countless families that five-seven-year-old children tell their parents that they do not want to play with foreign toys. When a 5-year-old child makes such a resolution, it reflects the spirit of self-reliant India in him and that Aatmanirbhar Bharat runs through his veins,” he said.

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The Prime Minister had lauded the Indian toy industry in his monthly “Mann ki Baat” broadcast in July, noting that its export has soared to ₹2,600 crore from ₹300-400 crore.

Calling on people to be “vocal for local toys”, the prime minister had in 2021 said that about 80 per cent of the toys were being imported by India with crores of rupees going abroad and asserted that it was very important to change this situation.

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Noting that India’s share is only about 1.5 billion dollars (over ₹11,000 crore) in the global toy market of approximately 100 billion dollars (₹7.5 lakh crore), Modi had pitched for improving the country’s standing in what he called Toyconomy or the economic aspects of the toys and gaming industry.

(With inputs from agencies)