China Toy Association Chair flags India as strong-growth toy market on young demographics

May Liang cited India's ~20 million newborns a year as major upside for the toy category, noting improved local quality as MNCs like Hasbro produce domestically and interest in ride-on toy cooperation at an Indian toy fair.

— Source publishedSat, 4 Jul, 2026, 17:39 IST·First seen Sat, 4 Jul, 2026, 17:52 IST·Source ET Small Business

What happened

Indian Toy Association · China Toy Association Chair May Liang cited India's large young population as major growth potential for toys, noting improved quality

Key facts

  • 20 million newborns/year

Why this matters

Interest in ride-on toy cooperation at the Indian toy fair plus MNC localization trends open the door to JV, sourcing, or manufacturing footprint deals to capture India's newborn-led demand.

What to watch

  • New tariff or QCO (Quality Control Order) changes on toy imports into India
  • MNC earnings-call callouts naming India as growth region
  • Chinese toy export data softening, redirecting supplier attention to India
  • E-commerce toy penetration metrics in tier-2/3 Indian cities
  • Any India-China trade friction escalation blocking cooperation deals
  • Track Hasbro/Mattel/Lego India capacity announcements and local sourcing percentages
  • Monitor Indian BIS toy quality certification enforcement affecting import mix
  • Watch India-China ride-on and component JV signings post toy-fair engagement
  • Assess domestic Indian brands (Funskool, etc.) capex and shelf-space gains
  • Model per-capita toy spend uplift vs pure birth-rate volume assumptions