To position India as a global manufacturing hub for sports equipment, NITI Aayog has recommended fiscal support of Rs 7,500 crore over five years (2027-31). The proposed funding will focus on developing cluster infrastructure, bridging competitiveness gaps, and supporting certifications, market access, and branding initiatives.
Such support is considered crucial to boosting sports equipment exports to $8.1 billion by 2036, up from a modest $275 million in 2024. This growth hinges on addressing a 15% cost disadvantage compared to leading Asian peers, the think tank said in its report titled ‘Realising the Export Potential of India’s Sports Equipment Manufacturing Sector’.
India’s global presence in sports equipment exports remains limited, with a market share of around 0.5%, despite a sizeable domestic manufacturing base. In 2024, exports were largely concentrated in a narrow range of products such as cricket equipment, inflatable balls, boxing gear, and athletic or weightlifting equipment. The global sports equipment export market was valued at approximately $52 billion in 2024, with China accounting for 40-50% of the share.
On the supply side, key challenges include high raw material costs, expensive land, and elevated certification expenses. On the demand side, Indian manufacturers lack strong forward linkages with global anchor brands, along with a cohesive “Brand India” narrative.
“Challenges such as cost disadvantages relative to China, limited access to advanced materials and technology, infrastructure and logistical gaps, and quick demand side linkages continue to constrain growth,” said Sanjeet Singh, senior adviser at Niti Aayog. Although India’s footprint remains small, the global sports equipment market — currently valued at $140 billion — is projected to expand to $300 billion by 2036.
This presents a significant opportunity for India to scale up its market share, generate large-scale employment, and move up the value chain.
However, India’s reliance on imports persists due to limited scale and the absence of a comprehensive ecosystem across sports goods segments. Manufacturing remains concentrated in traditional hubs such as Jalandhar and Meerut, and is largely MSME-driven, constraining scalability, technology adoption, and export readiness.
The report identifies an $8.1 billion export opportunity over the next decade, achievable by targeting an 11% share of the global sports equipment export market. This could generate an additional 5.4 million jobs by 2036, significantly boosting employment in the country.
A decade-long global sporting event cycle—including the Los Angeles Olympics 2028, Commonwealth Games 2030, Brisbane Olympics 2032, and India’s planned bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games—offers sustained opportunities for large-scale procurement of sports equipment.
The report also recommends that all sports goods-related policymaking be anchored under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to enable faster decision-making and comprehensive industry development across the value chain.
TOPICSNITI AayogThis article was first uploaded on March twenty, twenty twenty-six, at thirty minutes past twelve in the am.