From soft toys to games powered by AI, fair in Greater Noida to bring 150 toy makers under one roof

Greater Noida: A three-day B2B toys and games fair called Khilona- India Toys & Games Fair 2023 in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles, Commerce and Ministry of MSME will begin at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida from Friday. The fair, organised by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) will bring together over 150 businesses of the toy industry, ranging from medium and small exporters, artisan entrepreneurs and designers to India’s leading manufacturer exporters, said officials.

As per Dileep Baid, Chairman, EPCH, the fair will congregate a full spectrum of India’s toys & games manufacturing industry. “The 12 display segment will cover 24 product categories which will feature all aspects of the industry, from accessories for children’s room, to artificial intelligence and robotics to soft toys and eco-friendly toys as well,” he said.

He added, “The fair resonates with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘vocal for local’ and ‘atmanirbhar Bharat’ in toys and games, with an aim for India of becoming a global sourcing hub in this segment”.

The show is expected to be visited by buyers from across the globe, including USA, Canada, Germany and United Arab Emirates, added officials.

“For buyers and traders from across the globe, the toy fair is an exclusive opportunity to network and partner with traditional, modern and upcoming toy manufactures and understand from eminent policymakers, industry experts and academics about various key aspects related to the Indian toys and games industry and create strategic B2B alliances,” said Rakesh Kumar, Chairman, India Exposition Mart Limited.

He added, “Indian toy industry is among the fastest-growing globally, projected to reach $3 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 12% between 2022-28. Domestic market size currently stands at an estimated value of $1.5 billion. India’s Toy Exports witnessed an increase from US$ 203.42 million in 2018-19 to US$ 325.72 million in 2022-23.”

This is the second edition of the fair which was last held in August 2022. “At the first edition of the fair, business enquiries worth ₹22 crore were generated,” said an official.