Diwali 2024: Four years on, does ‘vocal for local’ have on-ground impact?

In recent years the call to boycott Chinese products has gained significant momentum in India especially around the festive season of Diwali The movement to shun goods made in China has been driven by a combination of nationalist sentiments economic selfreliance and geopolitical tensions particularly the border disputes following the 2020 Doklam incident in which 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a clash with the northern neighbour at LadakhThe impact of this boycott has been felt across multiple sectors Four years on what is the impact of the lsquoBoycott Chinese productsrsquo on the ground ahead of the Festival of Lights We take a lookSentiment still the same say tradersThe movement to boycott Chinese products gained traction in 2020 after the Galwan Valley border clash The incident came at a time when India was battling the pandemic The news of its soldiersrsquo deaths not only sparked outrage but also intensified existing antiChina sentiments that had emerged following the Covid outbreak There was a surge in calls to reduce dependence on Chinese imports and encourage citizens to buy madeinIndia products instead This idea gained momentum when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a call for lsquoAtmanirbhar Bharat selfreliant Indiarsquo to boost domestic manufacturing and reduce the countryrsquos reliance on foreign goodsldquoI vividly remember buyers telling us to only show them local productsrdquo says Vijay Soni a shop owner from Bhayander ldquoThis year we have not had many customers buying Diwali goods as the sales peak only days before Dhanteras However at least for other festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi and Navratri we have seen many customers opting for domestic productsrdquo he addsFestivals in India especially Diwali typically see a surge in sales with consumers buying not only decorative and puja items and lights but also expensive gifts such as gadgets Chinese products have traditionally dominated the market as they are cheaper unique and widely availableldquoItrsquos all very well to say lsquoVocal for localrsquo But the fact is are our products cheaper Even if you go to the biggest brands a chunk of their products are made in China When Indian brands make available a diverse range of products at a cheaper rate more people will be inclined to buy domestic goodsrdquo says Ankit Singh a marketing executivePraful Shah disagrees ldquoIn the past few years we have had a surge in the number of domestic products This is not only because companies are manufacturing a diverse range of products but also owing to the demand for more local goods from customers While this year I have not had many customers making Diwali purchases yet last year several of them had opted for Indian products even if they were Rs 4050 morelsquoRs 50000crore loss for Chinese products in sightrsquoThe Confederation of All India Traders CAIT expects the festival season to witness spending of Rs 2 lakh crore during the Diwali festival CAIT said that like the previous year this year too it has appealed to citizens to go local The confederation estimates that the push for domestic products will create a dent of around Rs 50000 crore for the Chinese economyMany Indians have expressed a willingness to pay more for locallymade products to support domestic businesses and reduce dependence on Chinese goods thereby impacting its economic influence in the country There is a growing interest in lsquovocal for localrsquo products especially for traditional clay lamps over cheaper massproduced Chinese LED lights locallymade decorations and textilesMeanwhile a survey conducted by CAIT revealed that nearly 7037 of respondents indicated a preference for Indian products over Chinese goods for Diwali in 2023Praveen Khandelwal SecretaryGeneral of CAIT stated The market is witnessing a paradigm shift Therersquos a strong sentiment against Chinese products especially around Diwali when the emphasis on traditional values and supporting fellow Indians is high We expect this trend to continue which will greatly benefit our domestic industriesImpact on local industriesThe boycott movement has had a positive impact on several local industries particularly smallscale manufacturers and artisansldquoThis movement has largely benefitted small traders especially those who sell diyas and lightsrdquo adds ShahldquoThere is a revival of traditional crafts too For example the demand for locallycrafted decorative items traditional toys and earthen diyas has surged as more people consciously choose to support local artisansrdquo says entrepreneur Prakriti MishraThe Khadi and Village Industries Commission KVIC reported an increase in sales of its products during the Diwali season Additionally local markets have seen a rise in the availability of Indianmanufactured electrical lights and home decorations as businesses cater to the growing demand for domestic productsLimitationsWhile the boycott has positively impacted some sectors it has also exposed the limitations of the Indian manufacturing sector The demand for certain products cannot always be met by local suppliers particularly when it comes to electronics and affordable goods Despite efforts to promote Indianmade alternatives Chinese products remain dominant in areas where India lacks the manufacturing capability or costeffectiveness to competeldquoPhones are just assembled here They are still manufactured in China Itrsquos not just electronics When we went to one of the biggest stores in a suburban mall we found that most of their cheaper footwear was from China So even if consumers wish to buy local they need to have the option available toordquo says Suhas K an Andheri residentA logistics employee who did not wish to be named said ldquoWe live in a globalised world and the boycott comes with its limitations While common citizens might opt for domestic products and the movement has gained momentum the fact is China remains a crucial trade partner for India and supplies essential raw materials that are used in the manufacturing of several goods The overall trade between the two countries has continued to grow despite the boycott movement So at a national level we are continuing to help their economy too We need longterm measures to completely end our dependence on Chinardquo