National Sports Policy 2025: The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025, or Khelo Bharat Niti 2025. This is a huge step towards changing how sports are played in India. This new plan takes the place of the 2001 framework, which has been in effect for 20 years. It has a big aim to make India one of the best sports countries in the world.
The NSP 2025 has five major objectives: to make society better, to engage more people in sports, to employ sports for the benefit of the economy, to involve sports in school with the NEP 2020, and to develop sports globally. India's primary objective is to host the 2036 Olympics and perform well in them. India is hoping to be one of the top five nations in the world by 2047.
The improvements are all about finding talented people at the grassroots level, making coaching, sports science, and medicine better, establishing better coaching facilities in both rural and urban India, and making National Sports Federations more responsible. The plan intends to enhance sports tourism, help new enterprises get started, and encourage new sports leagues from an economic point of view. All of this is possible through public-private partnerships (PPPs), corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, and inventive funding.
On the social inclusion side, NSP 2025 brings focused interventions for women, the tribal community, the economically weaker sections, and people with disabilities, along with a revival of indigenous sports and mobilization of the Indian diaspora. It also encourages fitness as a way of life through strong campaigns, fitness indices at schools and workplaces, and increased public use of sports infrastructure.
Integration of education is another high point, with organised inclusion of sport in curricula, professional development for physical education teachers, and dual careers for athletes. Delivery will follow a firm "whole-of-government" approach, with specified KPIs, timeframes, and technology-enabled tracking, and will be taken as an example by states and union territories.
Piyush Rai, National Sports Head, Orchids The International School, welcomed the development, said, “The National Sports Policy 2025 is a timely and much-needed shift in India’s approach to athletic development. By emphasising grassroots participation, infrastructure, and integration of sports into the education system, the policy lays the foundation for a more inclusive and performance-driven sporting culture. At Orchids The International School, we’ve always believed that holistic education includes physical excellence and this policy affirms that belief. What excites me most is the focus on long-term athlete development and the move towards evidence-based training frameworks. If implemented effectively, this policy could be a game-changer not just for professional athletes but for every child in India who dreams of making it big in sports.”
With this vision document, the government is looking not just to raise India's global sporting profile but also to create a healthier, fitter, and socially inclusive society.
