The Centre on February 27 opened the India Toy Fair 2021, which is being organised on a virtual platform, to promote the government’s ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign. Multinational toy retailer Hamleys is the fair's title sponsor and set up its virtual booth on the platform.

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The first edition of the virtual toy fair will take place from February 27 to March 2, 2021 on theindiatoyfair.in. The website was inaugurated by Union Ministers Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Smriti Zubin Irani and Piyush Goyal earlier this month.

While launching the purpose-built website for the toy fair, Union Minister Smriti Irani called the initiative a big boost to the toy manufacturing industry under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ campaign.

During one of his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio addresses in 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid down his vision to bring about a transformative change in the industry by being ‘Vocal for Local’ and help promote indigenous industries.

Irani, the union minister for textiles, said that the Indian toy industry is a source of livelihood for many artisans and micro enterprises. “Six ministries of the Union Government have joined hands to make ‘India Toy Fair 2021’ a grand success and that shows the level of commitment and vision that the government is showing towards development of the Indian toy industry,” Irani said.

Goyal, the union minister for commerce and industry, said that the initiative will ensure that Indians get access to quality toys. “Adopting economies of scale will help in production of quality toys at a cheaper price,” Goyal said.

“We should not only strive to fulfil the domestic demand for toys but also make a mark for Indian-made quality toys in the world,” he added.