India Pakistan Sports Policy Reaffirmed, No Bilateral Series but Multilateral Participation Allowed

India has officially reiterated its long standing position on India Pakistan sports relations, confirming that bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan will remain suspended while participation in international and multilateral events involving both countries will continue. The clarification came through a fresh communication from the Sports Ministryamid ongoing discussions around future ICC and international sporting events.

The ministry stated that India’s approach toward Pakistan in sports will continue to be guided by “international sporting practices” and the interests of Indian athletes. While bilateral series remain off the table, Pakistani athletes and teams will still be allowed to compete in multilateral tournaments hosted in India under international federation obligations.

The decision gains significance as India prepares to host major global events, including the 2030 Commonwealth Games and its bids for the 2036 Olympics and 2038 Asian Games in Ahmedabad. Officials also indicated that visa procedures for international athletes and sports administrators will be streamlined for such tournaments.

The latest stance comes amid continuing tensions between the two nations and follows several recent controversies involving cricket administration and tournament participation. Earlier this year, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had been at the centre of multiple high profile developments involving India Pakistan cricket relations, including Pakistan’s brief threat to boycott the T20 World Cup clash against India before later reversing the decision.

There has been no full bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan since 2012 13, with the teams meeting only in ICC and ACC tournaments at neutral venues. Even during the recent T20 World Cup, Pakistan played all its matches in Sri Lanka despite India being one of the co hosts.

The policy also means Indian teams will continue to avoid travelling to Pakistan for bilateral competitions, while Pakistani teams will not participate in bilateral events hosted in India. However, multinational events such as World Cups, Asian competitions, and Olympic qualifiers remain exempt under international sporting commitments. (

Sportscape feels that the latest clarification confirms that political realities continue to shape the future of India Pakistan sporting ties despite the commercial value attached to the rivalry. With ICC events heavily dependent on India Pakistan fixtures for global viewership, maintaining a multilateral only model may remain the most workable compromise in international cricket and sports diplomacy.