New Delhi - India on Monday relaxed a ban on the import of Chinese toys, saying goods certified by independent globally-recognized agencies would be allowed into the country.

A notification issued by India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade said shipments would be allowed if the the importer produced a certificate stating that the toys conformed to certain internationally-accepted quality standards.

The import consignment would also have to carry a certificate from the manufacturer confirming that the toys had been tested by an independent laboratory accredited by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation.

India banned the import of Chinese toys on January 23 for a period of six months citing safety considerations.

The move drew criticism from China which said India was practising protectionism.

According to industry estimates, Chinese toys account for half of India's toy market. According to government data, India imported more than 200 million dollars worth of toys from April to November 2008. (dpa)