Children rejecting foreign toys reflects spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 76th Independence Day, said, “I have heard from countless families that 5-7-year-old children tell their parents that they do not want to play with foreign toys.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 76th Independence Day, on Monday said even a 5-year-old child refuses to play with foreign toys and it reflects the spirit of self-reliant India in him and 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' runs through his veins.
"I want to salute the little children between 5 and 7 years of age. The nation's consciousness has been awakened. I have heard from countless families that 5-7-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 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' runs through his veins," he said.
In his monthly "Mann ki Baat’ radio show in July, the PM had also lauded Indian toy industry, 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 last year said 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.
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 PTI)