Initiatives to promote domestic talent and sporting goods manufacturing take the centre- stage. Union Budget 2026-27 has set the field. How will the match play out?
By Rajiv Raghunath
From children playing cricket on sandy fields to stars battling for glory on the global stage, sports runs in the lifeblood of Indians of all ages across the country. 2025 alone saw Indian sportspeople seizing the most remarkable achievements, from Harmanpreet Kaur leading the Indian women’s cricket team to their long-awaited maiden victory in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, to Neeraj Chopra shattering the 90m barrier with a record-breaking javelin throw, to countless other victories, both big and small.
As Union Budget 2026-27 gears the country towards national progress and development, the sports sector emerges as an important beneficiary, highlighting and reaffirming the importance of sports to Indian culture.
As per Budget 2026-27 provisions, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has received an allocation of INR 4,479.88 crore. This marks a 33.9% increase from the previous year’s revised allocation of INR 3,346.54 crore. However, when compared with the proposed allocation in Budget 2025-26, it is a lower increase of 18%, a lift of INR 685.58 crore.
From Wishing to Winning
Budget 2026-27 strategically funnels funding towards initiatives and organisations aimed at fostering Indian talent, providing a nurturing sporting ecosystem to elevate anyone with passion, talent and drive to the highest of international sporting levels.
The allocation for the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) was increased from INR 3 crore to INR 5 crore, while the government increased the incentive to sportspersons from INR 28 crore to INR 40 crore this year. Sports Authority of India (SAI), the nodal body that holds the responsibility for conducting national camps, maintaining and utilising stadiums, and making logistical arrangements for the training of athletes, received an enhancement of 4%, with allocation increasing from INR 880 crore to 917.38 crore.
The Khelo India programme received funding of INR 924.35 crore, an increase of INR 224.35 crore from the INR 700 crore revised allocation in the previous year. However, it is a decrease from last year’s proposed allocation of INR 1,000 crore. With an emphasis on inspiring young talent and developing infrastructure to support their sporting journeys, Khelo India aims to revive India’s sporting culture at a grassroots level and to build India’s presence on the global sporting stage.
The promotion of these initiatives signals a shift towards creating and fostering a sporting ecosystem in India, making sure that as long as you have a dream, you will never be dreaming alone.
Stepping Up to Bat in Manufacturing
Recognising the growing domestic demand for quality sports equipment, the Budget proposes to direct funds towards the manufacturing of sporting goods, investing in research and innovation in equipment design and material sciences.
While the ecosystem for the manufacturing of sports goods exists in India, significant advancements must be made in order for Indian-made sporting equipment to align with global standards. Currently, players competing even at the club-, intermediate-and-above levels largely depend on foreign-made sports equipment in order to match competition at the regional and national levels. The allocation of funding from Budget 2026-27, promoting sporting goods manufactured domestically under the Make in India Initiative, holds the potential to make the difference here.
Additionally, the support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India provided by the Budget through growth-enabling schemes will provide a large boost for the sector of sporting goods manufacturing, since most Indian manufacturers in the field work within the MSME framework. Scaling domestic manufacturing will allow the country to strengthen its sporting ecosystem from the grassroots to the highest level.
Domestic Ambitions, International Excellence
The 2026 Commonwealth Games, set to be held in Glasgow in July and August of this year, will see India’s participation in events such as athletics, swimming, boxing and gymnastics, despite the exclusion of major sports such as badminton, cricket, hockey and wrestling. The assistance for the Commonwealth Games has been enhanced from INR 28.05 crore to 50 crore this year, a 78% increase from last year.
This comes after confirmation that India will host the Centenary Commonwealth Games 2030 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat and Budget 2026-27 shows that India looks forward to this undertaking with proactivity and enthusiasm. Success on this front will support India’s bid to host the Olympic Games in 2036.
Budget 2026-27 promises a year full of development and purposeful progress in India’s sporting sector.
Your Move!
What do you think of India’s priorities in the sporting sector, reflected by allocations in Budget 2026-27?
Do you think the Budget’s new focus on manufacturing risks sidelining support to sportspeople themselves? Or is it a timely step forward that will boost India’s sporting ecosystem as a whole?