India’s dream of hosting the Olympics is slowly turning into a concrete plan--with Ahmedabad now officially declared as the proposed host city for the 2036 Summer Games, announced by the Indian Olympic Association and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Tuesday.
The IOA President PT Usha led a delegation to Lausanne, Switzerland, for a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials marking India’s first formal communication with the IOC regarding the bid.
The meeting took place shortly after the IOC lifted a temporary pause on selecting future Olympic hosts. During the discussions, India presented its vision for hosting the Games, while also learning more about what the IOC expects from potential host cities in the years ahead.
“This meeting gave us a great opportunity to share what we envision for the Olympics in Ahmedabad,” the Indian delegation said, as quoted by The Indian Express. “We also got valuable insights from the IOC on how the Games are evolving and what they’re looking for in future hosts.”
If India’s bid is successful, the 2036 Olympics would be the country’s first time hosting the event. As part of its plan, India is preparing to build around 10 new stadiums near the Narendra Modi Stadium in the Sardar Patel Sports Complex in Ahmedabad.
“We’re excited to be a true partner to the IOC through this journey,” said Gujarat Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi. “This is a long process, but we’re fully committed to making it happen.”
India’s Olympic ambitions first came to light back in 2021, when then-IOA President Narinder Batra suggested that the Narendra Modi Stadium could host the opening ceremony. Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially confirmed the intent to bid during the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai in October 2023 and finally a letter of interest was submitted in October 2024.
However, India isn’t the only one in the race. Other countries expected to bid for the 2036 Games include Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Chile. With the IOC only recently restarting its host selection process, it may be a while before an official announcement is made.
