India’s sports ecosystem underwent a major overhaul in 2025, driven by policy reforms, governance restructuring, and unprecedented budgetary support, converging with ambitious plans to elevate the country on the global stage. The country shifted from a fragmented, event-focused approach to a more holistic sports-for-development model that connects grassroots participation, athlete welfare and inclusion with high-performance goals and international competitiveness.
The rollout of a new National Sports Policy, the passage of a landmark sports governance law, the expansion of Khelo India and Fit India initiatives, and India’s successful bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games collectively signalled a structural reset, redefining how sport is planned, funded and administered, while strengthening India’s push to position itself as a major global sporting destination.
The National Sports Policy
At the heart of this transformation was a renewed policy vision. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025 in July, replacing the 2001 policy and laying out a comprehensive roadmap to transform India into a leading sporting nation, with a clear focus on preparation for the 2036 Olympic Games. Developed through extensive consultations with central ministries, states, sports federations, athletes and experts, the policy adopts a holistic approach to sports development—strengthening the ecosystem from grassroots to elite levels through early talent identification, improved infrastructure, competitive leagues, modernised federation governance, and greater use of sports science, technology and athlete support systems.
Beyond high performance, NSP 2025 positions sport as a driver of economic growth, social inclusion and mass fitness. It promotes sports tourism, international event hosting, manufacturing and start-ups, while encouraging private sector participation through Public-Private Partnerships and Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. The policy emphasises the inclusion of women, tribal communities, persons with disabilities and economically weaker sections, the revival of indigenous games, dual-career pathways, and alignment with the National Education Policy 2020 to integrate sport into education. Backed by a robust monitoring framework and a whole-of-government approach, NSP 2025 aims to build a healthier, more inclusive society while firmly placing India on the global sporting map.
National Sports Governance Act, 2025
Governance reform emerged as a defining feature of the year with the passage of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 by Parliament in August, marking one of the most consequential legislative interventions in Indian sports administration.
The Act establishes a new statutory governance architecture for Indian sport. It creates a National Sports Board to regulate, recognise and oversee National Sports Federations, including autonomous bodies such as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), while mandating adherence to the Olympic and Paralympic Charters and international governance standards.
Further, it sets up a National Sports Tribunal to adjudicate disputes relating to athlete selection, federation elections and governance issues, along with a Sports Election Panel to supervise free, fair and transparent elections in sports bodies. Collectively, these reforms aim to professionalise sports administration, reduce conflicts of interest and place athletes firmly at the centre of India’s sporting ecosystem.
These provisions are designed to align Indian sports governance with global best practices, strengthen ethical oversight, and empower athletes through formal, institutionalised grievance redressal mechanisms.
Khelo Bharat Niti
The Union Government launched Khelo Bharat Niti-2025 in August to promote inclusive and equitable sports development across the country, with a special focus on tribal communities, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, women athletes, persons with disabilities and economically weaker sections. The policy aims to ensure wider access to sports infrastructure and establish structured programmes for all participation levels, from grassroots to elite sport. It provides for dedicated facilities tailored to specific needs, regular sporting leagues for marginalised groups, and focused efforts to bridge the rural–urban gap by improving access to training and facilities. Integration of sport with school education, community participation and partnerships with stakeholders forms a key part of the policy’s outreach strategy.
In the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said that while sport is a State subject, the Central Government supplements State efforts through financial and technical support. Assistance is provided for coaching, sports equipment, boarding and lodging, competition exposure, education, insurance and related needs under various sports promotion schemes. Under the Khelo India programme, selected athletes receive comprehensive annual support for training, while initiatives such as ASMITA – Sports for Women focus on increasing participation in underserved areas. Support for participation in international competitions is also extended through the Assistance to National Sports Federations scheme.
Record budgetary support
Policy intent was backed by unprecedented financial support. The Union Budget for 2025–26 allocated ₹3,794 crore to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, reflecting the government’s renewed emphasis on sport as a development priority. Of this, ₹2,191.01 crore was earmarked for central-sector sports schemes, including ₹1,000 crore for the flagship Khelo India programme. Grassroots development remained central to the strategy, with 326 new sports infrastructure projects approved at an estimated cost of ₹3,124 crore and 1,045 district-level Khelo India Centres established to strengthen local athlete pathways.
Khelo India initiative
Participation levels across Khelo India competitions reached new highs during the year. The Khelo India Para Games and Khelo India Winter Games each attracted more than 1,300 athletes, underlining growing interest in para and winter sports. Talent identification efforts were expanded through the Khelo India Rising Talent Identification programme, which deployed artificial intelligence-based testing across 174 Talent Assessment Centres to identify athletes between the ages of nine and eighteen. High-performance support continued through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, which contributed to India’s medal success at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, while the Fit India Movement remained a key pillar in promoting mass fitness as a nationwide public movement.
Athlete welfare also received sustained attention. Retired international medal winners continued to benefit from lifelong monthly pensions under the Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons scheme, while the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Programme provided financial assistance to former athletes facing hardship, reinforcing the government’s focus on long-term athlete security.
Khelo India events played a major role in decentralising competitive sport. The Khelo India Winter Games were organised in two phases, with ice sports held in Ladakh and snow sports in Jammu and Kashmir, aimed at expanding India’s winter sports base. The Khelo India Youth Games were staged across multiple cities in Bihar and New Delhi, featuring 27 sports and drawing participation from more than 10,000 athletes. The event marked Bihar’s first experience hosting a large-scale multi-city sporting competition and reflected the effort to take national events beyond traditional sports hubs. The Khelo India Para Games and Khelo India University Games further reinforced inclusion and youth participation, with record entries and the promotion of indigenous sports.
India’s position as a global host
India also strengthened its profile as a global sporting host in 2025. The highlight was the staging of the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi, the first time the event was held in the country. More than 1,000 athletes from over 100 countries competed, and the Indian contingent delivered its best-ever performance with 22 medals, including six gold. The championship showcased upgraded infrastructure, fully accessible facilities and improved organisational capacity, earning praise from international athletes and officials.
The year also carried significant implications for India’s long-term international ambitions. In November, India was officially awarded the 2030 Commonwealth Games, with Ahmedabad declared the host city, following a decision taken at the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly in Glasgow. The award marked a major milestone in India’s sporting diplomacy and infrastructure planning. At the same time, India continued to actively pursue hosting the 2036 Olympic Games, with Ahmedabad positioned as the preferred host city. The successful bid for the Commonwealth Games was widely seen as a strategic stepping stone towards strengthening India’s case for the Olympics.
Taken together, developments across 2025 reflected a clear shift in how sport is planned, governed and funded in India. Policy reform, governance overhaul, record budgets and global ambition converged to strengthen grassroots systems, enhance athlete welfare and improve elite outcomes. The year reinforced India’s emergence as a confident sporting nation, increasingly capable of competing, hosting and shaping the global sports agenda.
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