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Export toys

Wooden, plastic and board-game toys; child-safety testing decides access to the USA and EU.

Free to exportHS 9503
HS code
9503
Toys — dolls, wheeled toys, puzzles, construction sets, wooden and plastic toys, scale models.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export. India's Toys (Quality Control) Order requires the BIS mark for toys sold in India, not for toys made only for export.
Registrations
5
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 201 mn
to 96 countries

What is exported

India exports wooden toys (Channapatna, Varanasi, Kondapalli), plastic toys, board games and educational toys. Toys face the strictest child-safety rules of any consumer product. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 201 million under HS 9503; the USA took over half, followed by the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Australia.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Wooden and lacquered toysChannapatna, Etikoppaka, Kondapalli and Varanasi toys; buyers want natural, non-toxic colours.
  • Soft (stuffed) toysPlush toys of fabric with polyfill stuffing.
  • Plastic toys and gamesMoulded toys, puzzles and outdoor play items from Delhi NCR.
  • Board games and educational toysCarrom boards, puzzles and learning kits.

Where it is grown or made

  • Delhi NCR (Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana)Delhi, Noida and Greater Noida — plastic and soft toys
  • KarnatakaChannapatna (Ramanagara) — wooden lacquered toys
  • Andhra PradeshKondapalli (NTR district) and Etikoppaka (Anakapalli)
  • Uttar PradeshVaranasi — wooden lacquerware and toys
  • MaharashtraMumbai — board games and toy makers

Export packing

  • Toys go in retail boxes or window boxes with age grading, warnings and the safety mark the buyer country requires (CE for the EU, UKCA for the UK).
  • Polybags must carry a suffocation warning and air holes; small parts need a choking-hazard warning.
  • Master cartons are 5-ply with shipping marks; wooden toys need silica gel against mould.

Who buys abroad

  • Toy retailers and chains
  • Museum, gift and eco-product shops (wooden toys)
  • Importers and distributors
  • Online marketplaces and Montessori and education brands

The quality buyers ask for

EU safety
EN 71-1 (mechanical and physical), EN 71-2 (flammability), EN 71-3 (migration of elements such as lead and cadmium); EN 62115 for electric toys
US safety
ASTM F963 (mandatory under CPSC rules), small-parts rules for under-3s, lead limit of 100 ppm in substrate and 90 ppm in paint, phthalate limits
International
ISO 8124 series, used by many other markets
Chemicals (EU)
Phthalates limited to 0.1% by weight in plasticised parts (REACH Annex XVII), plus allergenic fragrances and other substances restricted in toys
Age grading
Correct age grade decides which tests apply; toys for under-3s face small-parts and sharp-edge tests
Wooden toys
Lead-free lacquers and natural dyes, moisture control, splinter-free finish

Certificates

  • CE marking with EU Declaration of Conformity and technical fileRequiredRequired for every toy sold in the EU under the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC. The EU has adopted a new Toy Safety Regulation that will replace it after a transition period (with a digital product passport) — confirm dates on the European Commission toy safety page.
  • UKCA / CE for Great BritainRequiredToys sold in Great Britain need UKCA or (as currently allowed) CE marking under UK toy safety rules.
  • Children's Product Certificate (USA)RequiredRequired for toys for children 12 and under, based on tests at a CPSC-accepted third-party lab.
  • ICTI Ethical Toy ProgramOften askedToy industry social audit asked for by many global toy brands and retailers.
  • FSCOften askedFor wooden toys sold with sustainable-wood claims.
  • BIS (IS 9873 and others)Often askedRequired to sell toys in India under the Toys Quality Control Order; useful proof of testing capability.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Retail boxes in master cartons, loaded by volume in 40-ft or 40-ft high-cube containers; LCL for first orders.

How it travels

Sea for regular supply; air for samples and urgent seasonal top-ups.

Storage

Keep dry; soft toys and wooden toys mould in humidity. Batteries must follow lithium battery shipping rules.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • EU: CE mark, manufacturer and importer name and address, type/batch number, warnings in the local language (for example 'Not suitable for children under 36 months').
  • USA: tracking label (maker, location, date, batch), choking-hazard warnings where required, and country of origin.
  • Age grade on the pack that matches the tests done.
  • Soft toys: fibre content and filling labels required in some US states.
Where to get it tested

Use a lab accredited for EN 71 and ASTM F963 — for US certificates it must be on the CPSC list of accepted third-party labs. Search 'toys' in the NABL directory; BIS-recognised toy labs are listed on the BIS website. Several international test houses have toy labs in Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • SGEPC (Sports Goods & Toys Export Promotion Council)SGEPC promotes exports of sports goods and toys and issues RCMC.sportsgoodsindia.org ↗
  • Plexconcil / EPCH (by material)Plastic toys, dolls and games are listed under Plexconcil in Appendix 2T; hand-made wooden toys can register with EPCH.plexconcil.org ↗
  • BIS (only if you also sell in India)BIS certification under the Toys Quality Control Order for toys sold in the Indian market.bis.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • USA: children's products need third-party testing at a CPSC-accepted lab to the toy safety standard (ASTM F963), lead and phthalate limits under the CPSIA, a Children's Product Certificate and tracking labels.
  • EU: CE marking under the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC. The new Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 entered into force on 1 January 2026 and applies from 1 August 2030, adding a digital product passport.
  • Wooden toys: non-toxic paints and lacquers (heavy-metal tests), no small parts for under-3s, and ISPM-15 for wooden packing.
How to start small

Start with one safe, simple line — for example lacquered wooden toys for ages 3 and up — and get it tested at an accredited lab for the USA or EU before you show it to buyers. Join SGEPC or EPCH, and approach educational and eco-toy retailers who value hand-made products.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Shipping toys to the USA or EU without valid test reports — goods are refused and can be destroyed.
  • Paint with lead or small detachable parts in toys for young children — a common recall reason.
  • Missing age grading and warning labels in the buyer's language.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (8)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 9503 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  4. European Commission — Toy safety (Directive 2009/48/EC and Regulation (EU) 2025/2509)
  5. US Consumer Product Safety Commission — business guidance
  6. IPPC — ISPM 15: Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade
  7. Sports Goods Export Promotion Council — official site
  8. Bureau of Indian Standards

Trade data

Indian toys exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 201 mn
+7.3% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +18.5%
US$ 169 mn → US$ 201 mn
Buyer countries
96
Average export price
US$ 0.37
per kg · 5,36,256 tonnes shipped · US$ 0.30 the year before
United States of America: US$ 112 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 16.1 mnNetherlands: US$ 8.4 mnGermany: US$ 6.8 mnAustralia: US$ 4.3 mnItaly: US$ 3.8 mnSpain: US$ 3.4 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 3.3 mnCanada: US$ 3.3 mnChina: US$ 2 mnFrance: US$ 2 mnNepal: US$ 1.2 mnKenya: US$ 900kJapan: US$ 730kSouth Africa: US$ 700kUnited States of America: US$ 112 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Kingdom: US$ 16.1 mnUnited KingdomNetherlands: US$ 8.4 mnGermany: US$ 6.8 mnAustralia: US$ 4.3 mnAustraliaItaly: US$ 3.8 mnItalySpain: US$ 3.4 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 3.3 mnUnited Arab EmiratesCanada: US$ 3.3 mnChina: US$ 2 mnChinaFrance: US$ 2 mnNepal: US$ 1.2 mnKenya: US$ 900kJapan: US$ 730kSouth Africa: US$ 700kIndia
Where Indian toys goes — among our 30 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 141 mn1412020-212021-22: US$ 177 mn1772021-222022-23: US$ 154 mn1542022-232023-24: US$ 152 mn1522023-242024-25: US$ 169 mn1692024-252025-26: US$ 201 mn2012025-26
India’s toys exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2024-25 — a 75% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 0.43 per kg2021-22: US$ 0.38 per kg2022-23: US$ 0.53 per kg0.532024-25: US$ 0.30 per kg0.302025-26: US$ 0.37 per kg0.372020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian toys · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 141 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 177 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 154 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 152 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 169 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 201 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 194 mn (US$ 168 mn – US$ 223 mn)1942026-272027-28: US$ 203 mn (US$ 173 mn – US$ 237 mn)2032027-28
India’s toys exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 203 mn

Likely range US$ 173 mn to US$ 237 mn.

Trend
+4.7% a year
Fit (R²)
0.47 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United States of AmericaUS$ 112 mn+40.4%
2United KingdomUS$ 16.1 mn-3.3%
3PolandUS$ 9.9 mn+14.3%
4NetherlandsUS$ 8.4 mn+40.8%
5GermanyUS$ 6.8 mn+5.9%
6AustraliaUS$ 4.3 mn-13.7%
7ItalyUS$ 3.8 mn+83.7%
8SpainUS$ 3.4 mn-10.6%
9United Arab EmiratesUS$ 3.3 mn+17.5%
10CanadaUS$ 3.3 mn+32.9%
11BelgiumUS$ 2.9 mn-20.4%
12DenmarkUS$ 2.8 mn-22.9%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. ChinaUS$ 1 mn → US$ 2 mn+93.3%
  2. ItalyUS$ 2.1 mn → US$ 3.8 mn+83.7%
  3. NetherlandsUS$ 6 mn → US$ 8.4 mn+40.8%
  4. United States of AmericaUS$ 79.7 mn → US$ 112 mn+40.4%
  5. CanadaUS$ 2.5 mn → US$ 3.3 mn+32.9%
  6. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 2.8 mn → US$ 3.3 mn+17.5%
  7. PolandUS$ 8.7 mn → US$ 9.9 mn+14.3%

Low demand

  1. MexicoUS$ 8 mn → US$ 2.6 mn-67.4%
  2. BrazilUS$ 2.3 mn → US$ 1.6 mn-31.3%
  3. DenmarkUS$ 3.6 mn → US$ 2.8 mn-22.9%
  4. BelgiumUS$ 3.6 mn → US$ 2.9 mn-20.4%
  5. AustraliaUS$ 5 mn → US$ 4.3 mn-13.7%
  6. SpainUS$ 3.8 mn → US$ 3.4 mn-10.6%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys, dolls' carriages, dolls, other toys, reduced-size… — non-electronic toys etc..9503 00 20US$ 101 mn+3.6%234 mn piecesUS$ 0.43 per piecewas US$ 0.44
Others-of-tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys; dolls carriages; dolls; other toys; reduced-size9503 00 99 · Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys, dolls' carriages, dolls, other toys, reduced-size…US$ 75.7 mn+41.3%296 mn piecesUS$ 0.26 per piecewas US$ 0.16
Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys, dolls' carriages, dolls, other toys, reduced-size… — electronic toys etc..9503 00 10US$ 23.7 mn+33.4%5.4 mn piecesUS$ 4.40 per piecewas US$ 4.73
Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys, dolls' carriages, dolls, other toys, reduced-size… — parts of electronic toys9503 00 91US$ 230k-30.3%788k piecesUS$ 0.29 per piecewas US$ 0.80

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 52 bn
2023
India among exporters
#26
of 151 countries
India’s share of world exports
0.2%
US$ 144 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 61.8 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 40.5 bn 65.5%
  2. 2CzechiaUS$ 3.34 bn 5.4%
  3. 3GermanyUS$ 2.14 bn 3.5%
  4. 4NetherlandsUS$ 1.45 bn 2.3%
  5. 5Viet NamUS$ 1.42 bn 2.3%
  6. 6USAUS$ 1.33 bn 2.2%
  7. 7PolandUS$ 1.09 bn 1.8%
  8. 8MexicoUS$ 1.03 bn 1.7%
  9. 9FranceUS$ 932 mn 1.5%
  10. 10China, Hong Kong SARUS$ 858 mn 1.4%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 16.9 bn 32.5%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 4.02 bn 7.7%
  3. 3JapanUS$ 2.67 bn 5.1%
  4. 4United KingdomUS$ 2.63 bn 5.1%
  5. 5FranceUS$ 2.39 bn 4.6%
  6. 6CanadaUS$ 1.7 bn 3.3%
  7. 7NetherlandsUS$ 1.56 bn 3%
  8. 8PolandUS$ 1.52 bn 2.9%
  9. 9CzechiaUS$ 1.29 bn 2.5%
  10. 10AustraliaUS$ 1.18 bn 2.3%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 18.9 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 18.8 bn
GermanyUS$ 4.16 bnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 4.14 bn
JapanUS$ 2.76 bnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 2.76 bn
United KingdomUS$ 2.63 bnIndia 0.8% · gap US$ 2.61 bn
FranceUS$ 2.31 bnIndia 0.3% · gap US$ 2.3 bn
CanadaUS$ 1.7 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 1.69 bn
NetherlandsUS$ 1.68 bnIndia 0.4% · gap US$ 1.67 bn
AustraliaUS$ 1.18 bnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 1.18 bn
ItalyUS$ 1.07 bnIndia 0.2% · gap US$ 1.06 bn
SpainUS$ 1.01 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 999 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export toys

China makes most of the world's toys and dominates exports; Vietnam, the EU (re-exports), Mexico and Indonesia follow. India is a small exporter but has grown since quality control orders and higher import duties pushed domestic manufacturing, and since global brands began looking for a second source. Demand comes from big retailers and brands in the USA and Europe, and from online sellers. Openings are in wooden and eco-friendly toys (Channapatna, Varanasi, Kondapalli), board games and puzzles, soft toys, and contract manufacturing for brands that need a supplier outside China.

  1. 01Design and age-grade

    Fix the age group first; it decides materials, part sizes and tests.

  2. 02Safe materials

    Buy paints, plastics and fabrics with supplier test reports.

  3. 03Prototype and pre-test

    Test prototypes to EN 71 / ASTM F963 before tooling up.

  4. 04Technical file and certificates

    Prepare the EU technical file, Declaration of Conformity and US Children's Product Certificate.

  5. 05Production with batch control

    Keep batch records so any recall can be traced.

  6. 06Final inspection and ship

    Inspect, pack, file the shipping bill and claim RoDTEP and drawback.

  7. 07Payment

    LC or advance with new buyers; seasonal (Christmas) orders need early production finance.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting toys

Is CE marking mandatory for toys?
Yes, for the EU. The manufacturer must test, keep a technical file, sign a Declaration of Conformity and affix CE.
Do Channapatna toys pass EN 71?
Many do when made with tested lead-free lacquers. Test each colour and lacquer, and check small parts for under-3 toys.
What is a Children's Product Certificate?
A US document the importer or manufacturer issues, listing the safety rules the toy meets, based on tests by a CPSC-accepted lab.
Which council covers toys?
SGEPC (Sports Goods & Toys Export Promotion Council); PLEXCONCIL or EPCH depending on material.
Do I need BIS to export toys?
BIS certification is for selling in India. For export, follow the buyer country's rules — but BIS testing experience helps.
Sources (7)
  1. SGEPC (Sports Goods Export Promotion Council) — official site
  2. European Commission — Toy safety
  3. US CPSC — Business guidance for manufacturers and importers
  4. eCFR — 16 CFR Part 1303, Ban of lead-containing paint and certain consumer products bearing it
  5. ECHA — substances restricted under REACH (Annex XVII list with conditions)
  6. BIS — Laboratory services and recognised laboratories
  7. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories

Who buys Indian toys

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