PM Modi Encourages Development of Water and Winter Sports Ecosystem to Boost India's Global Presence PM Modi calls for India to build a water and winter sports ecosystem using its coastline and mountains, tying it to a 2036 Olympics push and youth talent hunt. by Ripunjay Gaba | Aug 27, 2026 | 2 mins read PM Narendra Modi encourages development of water and winter sports · Credits: via X @narendramodi Policy Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for India to build a stronger sports policy and ecosystem for water and winter sports, pointing to the country's vast coastline and mountainous regions as untapped sporting assets that could improve India's presence at events like the Olympics. Speaking to athletes during the Khelo India Dialogue via video conferencing, Modi flagged a challenge he'd first raised in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, directly connected to India's Olympic ambitions. India's Long-Standing Sporting Gaps "India does not participate in many of the sports that are part of the Olympics. This has been the case for decades. In the 2012 Olympics, India participated in only 13 sports events, while we did not participate in more than 20 events," Modi said, citing surfing and sport climbing as specific examples. "We have a huge coastline and vast mountainous regions. From water sports to winter sports, we have the demography and geography. But we do not have a strong presence in these sports. So, we have to look at the possibilities of developing the ecosystem for such sports and build it further." For example, surfing and sport climbing. We have a huge coastline and vast mountainous regions. From water sports to winter sports, we have the demography and geography. But we do not have a strong presence in these sports. So, we have to look at the possibilities of developing… — BJP (@BJP4India) August 27, 2026 The same gap was visible at Glasgow 2026, where India finished fourth on the points table with 13 golds, 17 silvers, and nine bronzes despite the Commonwealth Games dropping traditionally strong Indian sports like badminton, hockey, cricket, and wrestling. Modi reiterated India's ambition to host the 2036 Olympics and announced a nationwide talent hunt targeting children aged five to 15, to be conducted "in every village, every city and every school," specifically focused on disciplines where India currently doesn't compete or qualify. "Sports Is About Quality of Life, Not Just Winning Medals" Modi tied this infrastructure push to a broader philosophy he's been pushing throughout the Khelo India Dialogue: that India's sporting vision goes well beyond medal counts. "When I talk about sports… it is not limited merely to winning medals," he said, framing the larger goal as combining the country's sporting strength with the energy of its youth and channeling it toward nation-building. "It is a campaign to integrate India's sporting power and youth power together in the construction of a developed India." That framing suggests the push into water and winter sports isn't purely about chasing new medal categories, but part of a wider effort to build participation, infrastructure, and a genuine sporting culture across regions of India that have historically been underrepresented in the country's Olympic history. Written by Ripunjay Gaba 15 Articles
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: www.sportscapemagazine.com