Reaffirming the government’s commitment to an Atmanirbhar Bharat in sports, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya chaired the first-ever Sports Goods Manufacturing Conclave here on Saturday.
Organised by the Sports Ministry, the conclave brought together representatives from NITI Aayog, the Commerce Ministry, DPIIT, FICCI, CII, MSMEs and leading industry stakeholders to draft a roadmap for boosting India’s sports goods manufacturing capabilities.
Mandaviya highlighted a landmark development, noting that for the first time, “Sports Goods Manufacturing” has been formally included in the Allocation of Business Rules, 1961 under the Sports Ministry through a Gazette Notification issued earlier this week. The move, he said, gives the sector the same policy status as other key national industries.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister stressed the government’s vision of aligning sports goods manufacturing with India’s growth agenda.
“In India, the sports ecosystem is growing with speed. We have the potential to go big and we are not dependent on anyone. Sports goods manufacturing is a priority sector for us, and we have to implement this steadily. I am very pleased about it being included in the Allocation of Business Rules. Hence, we did this important conclave,” he said.
Reiterating the Atmanirbhar Bharat push, Mandaviya added, “Everyone has to make sure that we implement everything keeping in mind ‘Nation first’. Aatmanirbharta and the use of Swadeshi goods is the need of the hour. We must move forward with the spirit of Garv se Swadeshi. From 1% global share now, we have to take it to 25% by 2036. Economic growth happens when there is demand, and it increases with manufacturing, which also results in employment generation.”
The Minister also underlined India’s demographic strength, saying, “India grows on its own model. With 1.4 billion people, we already have the largest market. We must walk the path of our roadmap. We will now decide the policy framework based on the inputs from this conclave. All stakeholders will be brought together, and unanimously we will decide the policy framework on sports goods manufacturing. A task force will be formed with representatives of the Ministry, NSFs and industry stakeholders to craft a forward-looking policy and unlock the sector’s vast untapped potential.”
The conclave featured extensive deliberations from industry leaders on India’s current strengths, challenges and strategies for making the country a global hub in sports goods manufacturing.
Mandaviya emphasised that the initiative was not just about products but about building a complete ecosystem.
“The conclave is not just about manufacturing sports goods, but about creating a complete ecosystem that combines industry, innovation, and employment,” he said, adding that the ultimate aim was to strengthen India’s rise as both a sporting and economic powerhouse.
Currently valued at USD 4.88 billion (₹42,877 crore) in 2024, India’s sports goods sector is projected to grow to USD 6.6 billion (₹57,800 crore) by 2027 and ₹87,300 crore by 2034. The industry employs over five lakh people, largely in MSME clusters in Meerut, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Delhi-NCR.
India is the third-largest sports goods manufacturer in Asia and the 21st largest exporter globally, with exports worth USD 523 million in 2023–24 to more than 90 countries. Key export destinations include the USA, UK, Australia, Germany and France, while opportunities are expanding in South Africa, UAE, Canada and Sweden.