The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has intensified its pitch to boycott Chinese goods amid China’s military aggression on Indian borders. Condemning China’s military aggression across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh where three Indian soldiers were killed, the CAIT released a list of over 450 broad categories of goods. CAIT said that it was essential to promote the use of Indian goods.

In a statement, the organization said, “In the wake of these continued border skirmishes with China, the CAIT has decided to step up its nationwide movement against boycott of Chinese goods which was launched on 10th June under its campaign ‘Bhartiya Samaan- Hamara Abhimaan’.”

The list broadly includes items of everyday use including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), consumer durables, toys, furnishing fabrics, textiles, builder hardware, footwear, apparel, kitchen items, luggage, hand bags, cosmetics, gift items, electrical and electronics, fashion apparels, food, and watches.

Meanwhile India’s trade with mainland China and Hong Kong dropped by 7 per cent in 2019-20 to $109.76—the sharpest fall in the last seven years. In 2018-19, trade between the two countries grew by only 3.2 per cent after a huge increase of 22 per cent in the previous financial year.

Indian consumers have been gradually turning away Chinese goods even before the spread of the virus, which brought China in the spotlight for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

The apex body of traders pointed out that that there is an unprecedented anger among Indian consumers against Chinese goods that until recently dominated the domestic market.

“With this approach from China, there is anger among people after their handling of coronavirus and then the military aggression. People are rejecting goods from China,” Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general, CAIT, said..