Page 6 - NIS English 01-15 Aug,2022
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News Briefs
t was in August 2020, when Prime Minister
INarendra Modi moved the people in his
"Mann Ki Baat" programme, saying, "The
toy industry in the world is worth about
7 lakh crore rupees, and the Indian share
of this is very small. In a country that has
such a huge heritage, tradition, diversity,
and a young population, our country's
share is so low. It does not sound good.
We have to take it forward together." With
this appeal from the Prime Minister, a
new story of India's self-reliance in the toy
sector was written.
Month long Toycathon, the country's
Indian Toys in the International Market first toy fair, 100 percent foreign
allowed,
investment
toy
cluster,
PRIME MINISTER MODI'S mandatory certification on the import of
foreign toys, innovation in Indian toys,
APPEAL COMES TO and new beginnings in the digital gaming
sector. The effects of these initiatives
FRUITION. EXPORT are now visible. Toys worth $371 million
were imported into India in 2018-19, but
OF INDIAN TOYS this figure has dropped by 70% to $110
million in 2021-22. The export of Indian
toys to overseas markets was 202
INCREASES BY 61% million in 2018-19; with a growth of 61%
it reached $326 million in 2021-22.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE STRENGTHENS NATIONAL
SECURITY, 75 AI-ENABLED PRODUCTS LAUNCHED
rtificial intelligence (AI)-based defence the contribution has come from the private
Aproducts will be crucial in future wars. With sector and the remaining 30% from the public
this in mind, the AI Task Force was formed in sector. On July 11, Defense Minister Rajnath
2018 to develop a strategy for promoting artificial Singh launched 75 products or technologies
intelligence in the defence sector. Production equipped with artificial intelligence. These
in India was prioritised for self-reliance in the include AI platform automation in autonomous/
defence sector, and then startups and foreign unmanned/robotics systems, block chain-based
investment avenues were opened to promote automation, command, control, communications,
innovation. As a result of this, while the export computer and intelligence, surveillance
of Indian defence products has increased, the and reconnaissance, cyber security, human
army's needs for cutting-edge equipment have behavioural analysis, intelligent monitoring
also been met. Defense exports have crossed systems, lethal autonomous weapons systems,
the highest ever figure of Rs 13,000 crore in and logistics and supply chain management
the financial year 2021-22. Of this, 70% of products and systems.
4 New India Samachar August 1-15, 2022
