New Delhi, Feb 1 (.) The union Government on Sunday proposed an initiative for sports goods manufacturing and proposed the launch of a Khelo India Mission as part of the union Budget 2026–27, aimed at strengthening India’s sporting ecosystem and generating employment.
Presenting the Budget in Parliament, union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India’s potential to emerge as a global hub for high-quality and affordable sports goods would be leveraged through a focused initiative promoting manufacturing, research and innovation.
The announcement on sports goods is centred on the first of the three kartavyas that form the pillars of this year’s Budget, namely, ‘to accelerate and sustain economic growth, by enhancing productivity and competitiveness, and building resilience to volatile global dynamics’.
The aim of the sports goods initiative is to promote manufacturing, research and innovation, in both equipment design as well as material sciences.
In another key announcement, Sitharaman proposed the launch of a Khelo India Mission to further develop the sports sector over the next decade.
“The Sports Sector provides multiple means of employment, skilling and job opportunities. Taking forward the systematic nurturing of sports talent which is set in motion through the Khelo India programme, I propose to launch a Khelo India Mission to transform the Sports sector over the next decade,” the Finance Minister said in her Budget speech.
This step aligns with the second kartavya outlined by the Budget, namely ‘to fulfil aspirations of our people and build their capacity, making them strong partners in India’s path to prosperity’.
According to the announcement, the Mission will facilitate an integrated talent development pathway supported by training centres at foundational, intermediate and elite levels.
It will also focus on the systematic development of coaches and support staff, integration of sports science and technology, promotion of competitions and leagues to strengthen sports culture, and the development of sports infrastructure for training and competition.
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