Budget 2026: FM Sitharaman launches decade-long Khelo India plan to revamp sports

New Delhi: India is lacing up for a long race. In Budget 2026, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman rolled out a decade-long Khelo India mission to recast sport as both a medal chase and a jobs machine, pitching the sector as a serious pillar of growth.

Sitharaman argued that India can emerge as a global hub for sports goods and promised a dedicated push to make Indian products globally competitive. The message was blunt: sport is no longer a sideshow to the economy; it is part of the main act.

“The sports sector provides multiple means of employment, skilling and job opportunities,” Sitharaman said, framing the new mission as the next step after the existing Khelo India programme’s grassroots push. The aim is to systematically nurture talent while professionalising the wider ecosystem.

The opportunity stretches far beyond athletes. Demand is set to rise for certified coaches, high-performance directors and scouts. Sports science is another frontier, opening roles for physiotherapists, psychologists, nutritionists and researchers. Management, event operations and facility upkeep form a third layer, while manufacturing under the Make in India banner could lift domestic production of affordable, quality gear.

Timing matters. India is preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and is sharpening its bid for the 2036 Olympics. A 10-year runway gives policymakers time to build infrastructure, talent pipelines and industry depth rather than chase short-term glory.

Khelo India itself began as a grassroots revival plan in 2016-17 and formally took shape with the first school games in 2018. It has since grown into a nationwide platform for spotting and supporting young athletes. The new mission signals scale, structure and commercial intent.

The government’s wager is clear: a country obsessed with cricket can become a country invested in sport. If execution matches ambition, stadiums may double as factories of jobs and hubs of industry. India is not just training to compete; it is training to win business. The whistle has blown, and the next decade is game time.