TRANSFORMING INDIA INTO A GLOBAL TOY EXPORT LEADER: A STRATEGIC ROADMAP FOR POLICY INTEGRATION, SUPPLY CHAIN LOCALIZATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE SCALE

The global toy manufacturing sector is undergoing a historic disruption as multinational corporations are more frequently pursuing supply chain diversification via the China Plus One framework. Concurrently, India has transitioned from a net importer into a structurally stable, export-oriented toy economy. This study presents a comprehensive meta-analysis and economic evaluation of the Indian toy industry, exploring its core macroeconomic metrics, regulatory shifts,technological transitions, and infrastructural challenges. Drawing upon trade data from FY 2017-18 to FY 2025-26, the paper tracks the 151.9% expansion of aggregate toy exports alongside a 66% reduction in traditional imports. However, persistent systemic bottlenecks, such as elevated input costs, raw material import dependencies, regulatory friction within MSMEs, and land acquisition issues in critical industrial corridors, disturb the realization of these gains. By benchmarking Indian manufacturing frameworks against leading industrial models in China like Shantou Chenghaiand Vietnam, this paper outlines an integrated, multi-stakeholder strategic blueprint to establish India as a dominant global toy export leader.