Chinese products flood Delhi’s Bhagirath Palace ahead of Diwali

Anshita Mehra

New Delhi, November 6

Despite the ongoing “Vocal for Local” campaign, promoting locally made products, markets here are still swamped with Chinese goods, with minimal demand for Indian products.

A visit to Bhagirath Palace in Old Delhi, a major festive shopping destination, reveals that approximately 90 per cent of items here are of Chinese origin, leaving only 10 per cent products labelled “Made in India”.

Parveen Kumar, a shopkeeper, said the reliance on Chinese imports hinders the growth of the local products.

Hardly anyone enquires about local products due to their limited availability. As a result, consumers often opt for Chinese products.

Vendor Ramesh Sharma underscores the lack of local Diwali product manufacturers, citing the cost-effectiveness of Chinese imports due to limited domestic production. The absence of usable local alternatives fuels dependence on Chinese goods.

Consumers like Jyoti, who used to seek local products, now find Chinese decorations more attractive due to their quality and price. Mujahid, a vendor, said, “The finishing quality of local products often falls short of their Chinese counterparts. Therefore, consumers are drawn to the more affordable and aesthetically appealing decorations from China.”

Another shopper, Pushpa, said, “Every time we ask for local products, there really isn’t enough, so we do not discriminate between Chinese or Indian products anymore. We just choose what we like without focusing on the product’s origin.”