While stringed instruments like guitars, harps and violins are exported to the US, UAE and Germany from Kanchipuram and Mumbai, keyboard instruments from Kanchipuram and New Delhi are popular in the US, UK, China, Australia and South Korea.
India exported $22 million worth of musical instruments and their accessories in the first half of this financial year, compared to $38.5 million in the entire 2021-2022 period, as learning music has become one of the most popular hobbies worldwide in the last two years, when the Covid-19 pandemic forced people to stay indoors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that in the last eight years, exports of musical instruments from India have increased by three and a half times. “If we talk about electric musical instruments, their export has increased by 60 times. This shows that the enthusiasm for Indian culture and music is increasing all over the world. The biggest buyers of Indian musical instruments are developed countries such as USA, Germany, France, Japan. and the UK. It is fortunate for all of us that our country has such a rich heritage of music, dance and art,” Modi said in his address on the 95th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
The official said, “The One District One Product initiative has helped exports and the demand for musical instruments worldwide is encouraging.”
The US was the largest importer of musical instruments and accessories from India at $4.38 million between April and September, followed by Germany, Malaysia and China.
While Meerut is the main center for the manufacture and assembly of brass band instruments, Kanpur is home to harmonies, Amroha to dholaks and Chennai to drums.
“With Indian music gaining popularity worldwide, there is a great opportunity for further growth in this sector,” Modi said in a tweet last month.
Percussion instruments such as drums and xylophones were popular in the USA, Germany and Nepal, and wind instruments such as flutes, clarinets, bagpipes and trumpets are popular in Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. Malaysia is the largest buyer of accordions made in India. Organs and other instruments whose sound is produced or amplified electrically and the country witnessed the largest increase in growth at 546.25% year-on-year to $1.98 million in the first five months of the fiscal year.
According to the ICRIER report, demand for Indian musical instruments has declined, but demand for guitars and keyboards is on the rise.
“The introduction of low-cost electronic instruments such as electronic tabla and tanpura has led to a slight decline in demand for Indian musical instruments,” ICRIER said, adding that despite the increase in costs, demand for guitars has outstripped demand for guitars. all other instruments.