Is India Olympics-Ready? PM Exudes Confidence

Modi says India making 'significant progress' towards 2036 Games bid; however, only 10% of sports infra meets Olympic standards now

- YASH KUMAR SINGHAL

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced India's ambition to host the 2036 Olympics, exuding confidence in the nation's capability following the successful organisation of over 200 G20 events across the country last year.

"This proves that Bharat has the capability to organise major international events and possesses unparalleled hospitality. With this established, our goal is clear: to host the 2036 Olympics on Indian soil.

We are preparing for this and making significant progress towards it," Modi said, from the ramparts of the Red Fort in his Independence Day address.

India's audacious plan was backed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) head Thomas Bach. The last time India hosted an international multi-sporting event was the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

The country ended the Paris Olympics campaign with six medals, and an equal number of fourthplace finishes.

Only 10.4 per cent of India's mapped and completed sports infrastructure across states and Union Territories (UTS) meets Olympic standards, according to an analysis conducted by Business Standard.

This does not include the upcoming sports infrastructure projects.

According to the government's Khelo India dashboard, of the completed 15,822 sports infrastructure and 20,823 completed sports facilities in India covering 737 districts, only 1,645 completed sporting infrastructure and 2,473 completed sporting facilities are Olympic standard, covering 334 districts in the country.

Badminton accounts for the largest number of Olympic-level sports facilities in the country with 314 playfields, followed closely by football (301), volleyball (270) and athletics (221).