An Overview
The sports goods industry in India is nearly a century old and has flourished due to the skills of its workforce. Being labour-intensive in nature, the industry provides employment to more than 500,000 people. The nucleus of this industry in India is in and around the states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
- Jalandhar in the state of Punjab and Meerut in the state of Uttar Pradesh account for nearly 75 per cent of total production.
- Together, the two towns house more than 3,000 manufacturing units and 130 exporters.
- The Indian sports goods industry also has a presence in the cities of Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, albeit at a lower scale.
HIGHLIGHTS
In 2014–15, the UK, the US, the UAE, Australia, South Africa and Germany were the major export markets for Indian sports goods. France, Poland, the Netherlands, Canada, Belgium, New Zealand and Italy, were among other export destinations.
Inflatable balls, cricket bats & leg pads, cricket protective equipment, rugby balls, sports nets and gymnasium & athletics equipment accounted for about 35 per cent share of the total sports goods exports, as of 2014–15.
Indian sports products have been exported for global events. For the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Jalandhar supplied 80,000 soccer balls, whereas Meerut supplied training and practice kits such as free-kick dummies, corner flags, cone markers and linesmen flags.
India has emerged as the leading exporter of inflatable balls and other sports goods to international brands such as Mitre, Lotto, Umbro and Wilson.
Exports
India’s share of the global sports goods export market is expected to grow manifold, with the country establishing the credibility of its goods in the international market. Indian sporting goods are well known around the world and have made a mark in the global sports goods market. The industry exports nearly 60 per cent of its total output to sports-loving people the world over.
- The sports goods market in India was valued at US$ 2 billion in 2012-13. The market is growing as 35-40 per cent a year and is expected to reach US$ 3.6 billion by 2015. The growth is expected on account of increasing awareness about health and fitness in the country.
- India exported sports goods worth around US$ 256 million in 2013-14 as compared to US$ 214.95 million in 2012-13 and registering a growth of about 19 per cent.
- The major items exported includes inflatable balls, cricket bats general exercise equipments, sports nets and protective equipment for cricket.
The most interesting factor is that the land of Sports Engineering, United Kingdom is the major importer of Indian sports goods. It shows India’s ability to grow as a sporting super power.
Jalandhar Sports Industry
The sports goods industry of India has its roots in Sialkot, Pakistan.After 1947, many of Sialkot's skilled Hindu craftsmen migrated across the border into Punjab, settling in Jalandhar, where the Indian sports goods industry is now based.
The sports goods industry in India has witnessed a phenomenal growth over the past five decades and now occupies a place of prominence in the Indian economy in view of its massive potential for employment, growth and export. There has been an increasing emphasis on its planned development, aimed at optimal utilisation of resources for maximising the returns, particularly from exports. Most of India's sports goods are exported to all over the world.
The Indian sports goods industry manufactures major items that are exported are inflatable balls, hockey sticks and balls, cricket bats and balls, boxing equipment, fishing equipment, indoor games like carrom and chess boards and different kinds of protective equipment. The Indian sports goods industry is a highly labour intensive industry which provides employment to the weaker sections of society and also employs a large number of women.
Meerut Sports Industry
coming soon