Indian Sports Ministry pushes Sports Passport plan to tap diasporic talent
Indian Sports Ministry has proposed plans to bring a special sports passport for diasporic players across the world.
India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has officially presented a ‘Sports Passport’ framework proposal to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Home Affairs. With an objective to revolutionise Indian sports, this proposal plan seeks to facilitate eligible Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) athletes to don national colours at international sports tournaments across football, tennis, and basketball.
The Prime Minister’s Office and the Home Ministry are currently reviewing the proposal, with a decision to be taken in the next six to eight months, KhelNow reported. The Sports Ministry’s initiative aligns with India’s long-term vision to become a sports hub, including its bid to host the 2036 Olympics.
Sports Passport proposal by the Indian Sports Ministry
The current Indian law does not permit dual citizenship, which strictly mandates Indian passport holders for national representation. This implies that athletes of Indian origin with foreign passports like recently cleared footballer Ryan Williams, had to give up their existing citizenship to obtain an Indian passport to represent the country.
The ‘Sports Passport’ proposal by the Indian Sports ministry aims to resolve this long-standing issue through the creation of a special sports travel document of ID. Countries like Algeria and Turkey have successfully undertaken similar initiatives to include their diaspora into national sports teams.
Government’s push for sports development
The proposal for sports passports comes at a time when the country is intensifying efforts to become a leading sports nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been consistently urging central and state sports ministers to prioritise sports infrastructure development. The government’s ambitions to transform India into a sports powerhouse were also reflected in the National Sports Policy 2025, approved by the Union Cabinet on July 3, 2025.
Sportscape believes the Sports Passport proposal by the Indian Sports Ministry could be a revolutionary step in bridging the gap between domestic and global Indian-origin talent. By enabling wider participation from PIO and OCI athletes, the move has the potential to elevate the competitiveness of Indian teams across multiple disciplines.
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