Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday jointly released the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap during a visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
According to the official release, the roadmap builds on the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Sports and identifies targeted areas of collaboration aligned with the shared priorities, capabilities and resources of the two countries.
The roadmap recognises the decade of opportunity ahead, including the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and India’s ambition to host a future Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X, said, “Sport is a key pillar of the India-Australia partnership, bringing our people closer through shared passion and mutual respect.”
“Delighted to visit the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with PM Albanese. More sporting exchanges, youth engagement and collaboration can further strengthen the India-Australia friendship,” he said.
The official release said the two countries are committed to facilitating engagement and supporting collaboration among relevant institutions, while recognising the role of sporting bodies, businesses, State-level governments, universities and community groups in promoting elite and community sports.
It added that implementation of the roadmap “will be pragmatic and outcomes-focused,” with activities prioritised in line with available resources and major event timelines.
According to the release, cooperation will be delivered through established partnerships supported by flexible, demand-led arrangements, with resourcing to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis to ensure practical, sustainable and mutually beneficial outcomes.
The roadmap identifies five focus areas for collaboration.
Under capacity building, the two countries will collaborate on sharing best practices for establishing and operating high-performance sports centres in India, strengthen cooperation in para sport, facilitate two-way exchanges of coaches and coach educators, explore a physical education exchange programme, promote collaboration in yoga, support capability building of Indian coaches through the India Australia High Performance Coach Development Program, and explore opportunities for talented young Indian sportspersons to participate in high-performance programmes in Australia through Government of India-funded scholarships.
In the area of sports science and technology research, the roadmap encourages joint research between universities in both countries on athlete performance analytics, injury prevention, sports nutrition, wearable performance technology, recovery techniques and para sport. It also calls for partnerships to co-develop sports curricula and continued cooperation between Sport Integrity Australia and the National Anti-Doping Agency India in supporting World Anti-Doping Agency-led capacity-building programmes.
On major sporting events, the roadmap provides for collaboration on exchanging best practices for hosting large events, exploring exhibition matches and youth competitions in sports of mutual interest, establishing reciprocal arrangements for shared facilities and competitions in the lead-up to major international events, and encouraging Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India to work towards hosting annual Big Bash League matches in India following the inaugural BBL match in Chennai in December 2026.
Under the sports industry and investment platform, the roadmap proposes building on the Australia-funded Sports Industry Summit in Mumbai in December 2026 to promote collaboration in sports equipment manufacturing, sports media and broadcasting, event management and sports start-ups. It also seeks to facilitate market access for sports businesses in both countries, expand India’s exports of sports goods to Australia, and increase the export of Australian expertise in high-performance sports.
The roadmap also proposes a women in sports partnership, including joint initiatives to promote women’s leadership, health, high performance and participation in sport, as well as bilateral tournaments for women athletes, recognising sport as a pathway for women’s economic empowerment, leadership, health and social inclusion.
