India Unveils Ambitious National Sports Policy to Boost Athletic Performance

Summary – India launches a new national sports policy aiming to enhance athlete development and international competitiveness.,

Article –

India has officially launched its new National Sports Policy on July 24, 2025, aimed at bolstering the country’s athletic performance globally. The announcement took place in New Delhi, emphasizing grassroots development, enhanced infrastructure, and comprehensive athlete support across multiple sports.

What Happened?

The Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs organized a major unveiling event attended by prominent government officials, sports administrators, athletes, and coaches. Union Minister Anurag Thakur presented the policy framework, highlighting key themes such as:

• Inclusivity
• Scientific training methodologies
• Increased funding allocations

Notable policy elements include establishing advanced training centers, encouraging sports participation at school levels, and instituting strong talent identification systems. It also stresses gender equality and supports para-athletes.

Key Numbers

The government has earmarked a budget of ₹10,000 crore (about $1.2 billion USD) over five years to improve sports infrastructure nationwide. Additional targets include:

1. Training over 100,000 young athletes by 2030 through development programs
2. Raising India’s Olympic medal count by 30% in the next two Olympic cycles
3. Increasing professional coaching certification levels by 50%

Locker-Room Reactions

Notable responses from the sports community include:

• P.V. Sindhu, Indian sports captain, expressed optimism about the support for upcoming athletes and improving international competition.
• Rohit Singh, chief coach of India’s athletics team, emphasized the importance of improved infrastructure and scientific training, praising the government’s commitment.
• The Sports Authority of India (SAI) congratulated the ministry for creating a comprehensive sports development framework.

Immediate Consequences

In the short term, the policy is expected to channel more investment into grassroots sports and create structured talent nurturing programs. Various sports federations are preparing to align their strategies with the new directives to fully leverage the policy benefits.

What Comes Next?

The Ministry will conduct regional workshops across states and districts within the next six months to ensure effective policy implementation. They will also begin selecting upgraded training center locations and recruiting qualified coaches by the year’s end. A dedicated monitoring committee has been established to track progress and suggest any necessary adjustments.

This ambitious National Sports Policy reflects India’s determination to emerge as a leading global sports power, with potential to transform the country’s sporting landscape.

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Bhavya

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