Boosting India's Sports Manufacturing: A National Priority

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya underscored the critical role of sports manufacturing in India, advocating for a nationwide ecosystem that supports this sector. Speaking at the Playcom Business of Sports Summit 2025, alongside IOA President PT Usha, Mandaviya highlighted efforts to nurture grassroots talent.

Addressing the summit, Mandaviya stressed the importance of developing a work culture conducive to sports manufacturing and talent identification. He emphasized grassroots initiatives like the Khelo India centers established in every district, which aim to harness and nurture young talent.

The sports goods industry in India is on an upward trajectory, valued at USD 4.88 billion in 2024 and projected to reach USD 6.6 billion by 2027. The sector is a significant employment generator, predominantly in the MSME clusters of Meerut, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Delhi-NCR. India stands as the third-largest sports goods producer in Asia and ranks 21st worldwide in exports, according to the sports ministry.

(With inputs from agencies.)