At the recent Toy Biz Expo in New Delhi, a significant shift in the toy industry was evident, driven by a desire to curb children's excessive smartphone use and a growing preference for indigenous products over Chinese imports. A key innovation addressing screen time concerns is "Cheeko," an AI-powered gadget from Alto AI designed for children aged 3-6, which offers multilingual chat, interactive learning games, and generative AI art, all while incorporating physical learning cards for a multi-sensory experience. This year's expo, larger than previous editions with over 400 more brands, showcased a strong emphasis on Indian-made toys, with established companies like Ratna highlighting locally manufactured alternatives to imported goods, a trend attributed to government policies and Bureau of Indian Standards certification norms that have reduced the presence of Chinese toys. The expo also highlighted a rising interest in science and learning, exemplified by Pio Metrics, which offers beginner and hobbyist optical equipment like binoculars and telescopes, reporting substantial growth in demand and revenue, underscoring a broader move towards educational and curiosity-driven play.

At the recent Toy Biz Expo in New Delhi, a significant shift in the toy industry was evident, driven by a desire to curb children's excessive smartphone use and a growing preference for indigenous products over Chinese imports. A key innovation addressing screen time concerns is "Cheeko," an AI-powered gadget from Alto AI designed for children aged 3-6, which offers multilingual chat, interactive learning games, and generative AI art, all while incorporating physical learning cards for a multi-sensory experience. This year's expo, larger than previous editions with over 400 more brands, showcased a strong emphasis on Indian-made toys, with established companies like Ratna highlighting locally manufactured alternatives to imported goods, a trend attributed to government policies and Bureau of Indian Standards certification norms that have reduced the presence of Chinese toys. The expo also highlighted a rising interest in science and learning, exemplified by Pio Metrics, which offers beginner and hobbyist optical equipment like binoculars and telescopes, reporting substantial growth in demand and revenue, underscoring a broader move towards educational and curiosity-driven play.

At the recent Toy Biz Expo in New Delhi, a significant shift in the toy industry was evident, driven by a desire to curb children's excessive smartphone use and a growing preference for indigenous products over Chinese imports. A key innovation addressing screen time concerns is "Cheeko," an AI-powered gadget from Alto AI designed for children aged 3-6, which offers multilingual chat, interactive learning games, and generative AI art, all while incorporating physical learning cards for a multi-sensory experience. This year's expo, larger than previous editions with over 400 more brands, showcased a strong emphasis on Indian-made toys, with established companies like Ratna highlighting locally manufactured alternatives to imported goods, a trend attributed to government policies and Bureau of Indian Standards certification norms that have reduced the presence of Chinese toys. The expo also highlighted a rising interest in science and learning, exemplified by Pio Metrics, which offers beginner and hobbyist optical equipment like binoculars and telescopes, reporting substantial growth in demand and revenue, underscoring a broader move towards educational and curiosity-driven play.

A major goal for many toy makers this year is finding ways to stop children from staring at phones all day.

One of the main highlights  at Toy Biz Expo at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi this year is the launch of "Cheeko", an AI-powered gadget by Alto AI, claiming to be designed especially for children aged 3 to 6  to rescue them from potential smartphone addiction through multilingual chatting and instant generative art.

Interestingly , the device is built to counter the rising screen time and reduced attention spans associated with mobile games.

"Our vision is to build AI-powered hardware products, and Cheeko is our first product. We wanted to create a healthier alternative that combines education and entertainment," said Abhilash, the founder of Alto AI Private Limited.

This innovative educational device combines cutting-edge technology with tactile play through three core features: a Multilingual AI Chat, Interactive Learning, and Generative AI Art.

Powered by a natural language processor, the AI Chat remembers past conversations and answers children's questions in simple, age-appropriate terms, supporting English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. The touchscreen-based Interactive Learning feature hosts educational games that actively track and analyse foundational skills like alphabet tracing and numbers.

Sparking creativity, the Generative AI Art feature allows children to speak imaginative prompts, like "a red elephant playing hockey in Switzerland", to instantly see their ideas come to life.

Beyond the screen, the device utilizes physical RFID learning cards to play audio stories, shlokas, and guide kids through practical life skills like shoe-tying, offering a balanced, multi-sensory experience.

Deepak, a representative from the Toy Association of India, confirmed that the 2026 edition has outpaced past events in both scale and visitor turnout. "It is larger than the previous edition, more brands are present here, and we are seeing a huge crowd," he stated.

Organisers and participants noted that this year’s event has scaled up significantly, hosting over 400 more brands than the previous edition, showcasing a massive shift away from Chinese imports.

Established brands at the expo credited government policies for shifting consumer demand toward home-grown products. Kayvan Visharya from Mumbai, representing Ratna, a domestic manufacturer with a 50-year history, highlighted how the market has evolved.

Ratna currently produces over 1,000 products ranging from newborn toys to games for young adults, with prices starting at ₹50. This year, the brand showcased a locally manufactured sensory play sand toy available in eight colours. Made from certified food-grade, non-toxic materials, the product serves as a direct local alternative to previously imported Chinese variants.

"Government regulations, including the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification norms introduced after 2022, have reduced the presence of imported Chinese toys in the Indian market," Visharya explained, adding that this has led to a much stronger focus on Indian-made products at the 2026 exhibition.

However, the shift toward science and learning was further highlighted by Pio Metrics, a company specialising in optical equipment for beginners and hobbyists, in Gurgaon. Representing the firm, Harshit showcased a lineup of binoculars and telescopes priced between ₹3,999 and ₹65,000.

While entry-level models are targeted at children under eight to view lunar craters, advanced variants allow hobbyists to observe deep-space nebulae and galaxies. According to company data, Pio Metrics recorded a revenue of over ₹12 crore last year and services 500 customers across India.

"Demand for telescopes in India has increased significantly," Harshit said, noting that the company expects revenue to cross ₹15 crore this year despite temporary stock shortages caused by high demand. "Telescopes help children develop curiosity towards astronomy and science from an early age.”

The expo continues to draw crowds driven there by both legacy brands like Kaespa, Tonko, Panda, and Luxor, alongside traditional toy segments like Jhil Mil and Sakhyam.