Strengthening India's Sports Ecosystem

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The government highlighted India's progress as an emerging athletic nation as the country competes in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
India continues its long legacy in the Commonwealth Games, which dates back to 1934.
Official statements emphasized that having nearly 65% of the population below 35 years makes youth India's greatest athletic strength.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports leads structural programs to foster youth development and high-level sports performance.

Launched in 2017, the Khelo India Scheme merged three older programs including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme, and National Sports Talent Search Scheme.
The scheme relies on five key pillars: establishing training centers, training coaches, using sports science, organizing competitions, and building modern infrastructure.
The mission aims to set up at least one Khelo India Training Centre in every district through joint efforts with states and Union Territories.
Athletes get scientific backing through sports psychology, expert nutrition, and real-time performance tracking platforms.
This integrated setup connects grassroots talent to elite competition to help India become a leading sporting nation by 2036.

The tournament movement began with the Khelo India School Games in New Delhi in 2018 to offer young athletes national exposure.
The event was renamed the Khelo India Youth Games in 2019 after the Indian Olympic Association joined as a partner.
More than 63,000 athletes have competed in these games since 2018, gaining vital tournament experience.
The government introduced the Khelo India University Games and Khelo India Winter Games in 2020 to cover college students and winter sports.
Organizers launched the Khelo India Para Games in 2023 to offer equal competitive platforms for para-athletes.
The scheme expanded into new event formats by introducing the Khelo India Beach Games and Khelo India Water Sports Festival in 2025.
The Khelo India Tribal Games debuted in 2026 to identify and showcase athletic talent from tribal communities.

The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated a record Rs 4,479.88 crore to the sports ministry, up from Rs 1,219 crore in 2013-14.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports launched the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) in September 2014 to improve Olympic performance.
A major reform of TOPS in April 2018 added a dedicated technical support team for athletes.
Core athletes in TOPS receive customized foreign training, international exposure, equipment, and a monthly stipend of Rs 50,000.
Junior athletes supported under the TOPS Development Group receive an out-of-pocket allowance of Rs 25,000 per month.
By April 2026, TOPS supported 51 Core Athletes, 52 Para Core Athletes, and 130 Development Athletes.
The Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) program uses artificial intelligence and data tools to test talent in kids aged 9 to 18 years.
This talent drive aims to place India among the top 10 sporting nations by 2036 and top 5 by 2047.
KIRTI operates 174 Talent Assessment Centres across three states and Union Territories, completing 1,87,921 physical assessments.
The Union Budget 2026-27 provided Rs 500 crore to promote domestic manufacturing of high-quality sports gear.

India expanded its Olympic medal count from 2 at Rio 2016 to 7 at Tokyo 2020 and 6 at Paris 2024.
The country sent strong athletic contingents of 117 athletes to Rio 2016, 119 to Tokyo 2020, and 117 to Paris 2024.
Javelin champion Neeraj Chopra won India's first Olympic athletics gold at Tokyo 2020, while Mirabai Chanu delivered consistent weightlifting success.
India made historic gains in the Paralympics, growing from 4 medals at Rio 2016 to 19 at Tokyo 2020 and 29 at Paris 2024.
At Paris 2024, an 84-member para-contingent secured 7 gold, 9 silver, and 13 bronze medals.
Prominent para-athletes like Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, and Pramod Bhagat led this historic Paralympic performance.
At the Asian Games, India grew its tally from 57 medals in 2014 to 69 in 2018, touching a record 107 medals at Hangzhou 2023.
A 655-member Indian contingent won 28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze medals at Hangzhou 2023.
Top Asian Games medalists included Lovlina Borgohain, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and Chirag Shetty.
In the Commonwealth Games, India maintained strong results by winning 64 medals in 2014, 66 in 2018, and 61 in 2022.
Disciplines like wrestling, weightlifting, badminton, and athletics saw standout performances from P. V. Sindhu, Vinesh Phogat, and Achinta Sheuli.

India's sporting environment is moving away from occasional individual wins toward a structured national training system.
Key schemes like Khelo India, TOPS, and KIRTI create a clear route from grassroots discovery to international podium finish.
Sustained government funding and domestic manufacturing will ensure long-term excellence as India prepares for upcoming global events.