New Delhi, October 29, 2026: The Union Cabinet has approved the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme with a total outlay of ₹1,856.67 crore for 2026 through 2033–34. The government says the programme is designed to attract investment, improve product quality and help Indian manufacturers compete in global sports-goods markets.
The scheme envisages dedicated Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones that bring manufacturers, suppliers, testing facilities, design and prototyping centres and ancillary businesses together. It also aims to help existing manufacturing clusters upgrade shared infrastructure and strengthen participation by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Investment, certification and research support
The government says ₹1,130 crore will support investment and production through anchor-investment and turnover-linked components. A further ₹105 crore is earmarked to help manufacturers obtain or renew certifications from international sports federations. The plan also includes support for research, advanced materials, protective equipment, technology adoption and workforce skills.
The Cabinet’s stated goal is to reduce import dependence, increase domestic value addition and expand exports. Those are policy objectives rather than guaranteed outcomes; results will depend on implementation, private investment, product quality and access to overseas markets.
Sources: Prime Minister’s Office — official scheme approval; Press Information Bureau — Cabinet and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports releases, October 28, 2026.
Featured image: Illustrative photograph of a soccer ball. Photo originally published by pockethifi via Flickr and hosted on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0. It is not a photograph of the scheme announcement.
