“The most consequential aspect of this Budget for the sports sector is its emphasis on continuity and system-building rather than isolated interventions. A decade-long roadmap through the Khelo India Mission acknowledges a long-standing reality that athlete development, infrastructure creation and industry growth cannot be achieved within short policy cycles. Equally significant is the recognition of sport as an economic sector, particularly through the focus on domestic manufacturing of sports equipment and an emphasis on structured leagues, competitions and sporting events. Well-organised and high quality broadcast competitions play a central role in building fandom, which is often the starting point for participation leading to a bigger shift.
With the right ecosystem in place, combining athlete development, competition structures and broadcast-led reach, these efforts have the potential to deliver the outcomes our government is aiming for. This is a direction that strengthens the sports system as a whole, and one that we stand firmly behind, committed in spirit and action, to help Indian sport grow in depth, relevance and scale, to a position of undisputed leadership.”
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