Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Friday unveiled the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), with Canberra formally backing India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
The announcement came during an event celebrating India-Australia sporting ties at the MCG, where the two leaders were joined by Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan. Australian cricket greats Steve Waugh and Lisa Sthalekar were among the sporting legends in attendance.
Addressing the gathering, Modi said India was preparing to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and was striving to stage the Olympic Games in 2036, with sports infrastructure set to be developed on a massive scale over the coming years.
“India is set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030. We are also striving to host the Olympics in India in 2036. Brisbane will host the Olympics in 2032. Sports infrastructure will be developed on a mega scale to host these global events,” Modi said.
Moments later, Albanese announced Australia’s support for India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games, giving a significant boost to New Delhi’s campaign to bring the Summer Games to the country for the first time.
The two prime ministers also jointly unveiled the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap, which aims to deepen cooperation in sports training and capacity building, sports science and technology, and sports industry and investment. The roadmap also proposes the organisation of an India-Australia Youth Sports Festival as part of efforts to strengthen sporting exchanges between the two countries.
Modi also welcomed the decision to stage the opening match of Australia’s 2026-27 Big Bash League season in Chennai later this year.
“I am delighted that a Big Bash League match will be held in Chennai, India. For any sporting league, hosting an event in India guarantees extensive reach and viewership,” he said.
Speaking on the growing sporting relationship between the two countries, Modi said sport had become an important pillar of the India-Australia partnership and had the power to bring people together.
“For any Indian coming to the MCG, two emotions arise together in the heart. One is the thrill of an India-Australia cricket match, and the other is the realisation that in both our countries, cricket is not just a sport, it is a shared passion,” Modi said.
“But today, there is no pressure of a last-over finish. Today is about the joy of sport, the warmth of our friendship, and the energy of future champions.”
Modi said the roadmap would diversify the sporting partnership between India and Australia and expand cooperation beyond cricket.
“We are also joined by legendary players such as Steve Waugh and Lisa Sthalekar. Steve Waugh’s mental toughness and Lisa Sthalekar’s all-round excellence remind us that becoming a champion requires three essential qualities: talent, temperament, and tenacity. Sports are a strong pillar of the relationship between India and Australia. It gives me great pleasure to launch the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap today along with Prime Minister Albanese. Through this initiative, we will strengthen cooperation not only in cricket but across a wide range of sports as well,” Modi said.
He also congratulated Australia on winning the Women’s Cricket World Cup and said the coming years would provide fresh opportunities for sporting cooperation as India and Australia prepared to host major multi-sport events.
Recalling his meetings with Albanese, Modi said cricket had often been the common thread between the two leaders. He referred to their visit together to the stadium in Ahmedabad and said being at the MCG once again reflected the shared sporting spirit of the two nations.
The two leaders later interacted with young athletes participating in exhibition matches of kabaddi, Australian Rules football and cricket. Modi said watching the children compete made it feel as though it was “not merely an exhibition match” but “an audition for future champions”, adding that their confidence and enthusiasm reflected a bright future for sport in both countries.
The visit underscored the growing role of sports, cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties as pillars of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Australia’s backing of India’s 2036 Olympic bid, coupled with the launch of the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap, marked another step in expanding cooperation between the two countries through sport.
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