India has officially submitted its bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympic Games, selecting Ahmedabad as the proposed host city.
A high-level Indian delegation comprising officials from the Union Sports Ministry, the Gujarat state government, and Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha, held formal discussions with the International Olympic Committee at its headquarters in Lausanne on Tuesday.
This meeting comes close on the heels of IOC president Kirsty Coventry announcing a “pause” in the host selection process for future editions of the Games.
The delegation formally presented Ahmedabad’s bid to host the Olympics, marking the first official communication of India’s host city choice to the IOC.
Ahmedabad, which boasts rapidly developing infrastructure and a growing global profile, was presented as the centerpiece of India’s Olympic aspirations. According to a statement released by the Indian delegation, the discussions were fruitful in outlining India’s vision while receiving key insights from the IOC regarding the technical and logistical frameworks needed to host the Games.
“The discussions provided a vital platform for the Indian delegation to articulate their vision for hosting a future Olympic Games in Amdavad (Ahmedabad). Concurrently, they gained invaluable insights from the IOC regarding the requirements for the Olympic Games and its ambitions for the future of the Olympic Movement,” a press release issued by the delegation states.
The bid emphasises that hosting the Olympics would provide 600 million young Indians their first opportunity to experience the Olympics in their home country. The proposal incorporates the Indian principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – the world is one family – aiming to welcome global participants as one during the Games.
“We are eager to be a true partner to the IOC in the coming months of this process and, hopefully, in the years to come, as we work together to realise this shared ambition,” said Gujarat sports minister, Harsh Sanghavi following the meeting.
Usha expressed her vision, stating: “The Olympic Games in India would not just be a spectacular event, they would be one of generational impact for all Indians.”
India faces competition from several other nations for the 2036 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Chile.
The timing of India’s bid coincides with recent changes in the IOC’s host selection process. Coventry recently announced a pause in the selection process, as IOC members requested more involvement in the decision-making.
“There was overwhelming support from the IOC members for a pause to be done and a review of the future host election process and we will be setting up a working group to look into this,” Coventry had announced after her first executive board meeting in Lausanne.
The pause in the selection process was implemented as IOC members expressed concerns about their limited role in the current selection rules. A working group will be established to review the host selection process and timing of future host announcements.
India’s bid positions the country as a serious contender in the Olympic movement, with Ahmedabad, commercial capital of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, at the heart of its plans.
