Overview
- India will host its first Silver-level Continental Tour event on August 22 at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium, a World Athletics Category B meet with higher ranking points.
- AFI expands the 2026 domestic schedule to 40 competitions and introduces the inaugural National Indoor Championships, planned in Bhubaneswar.
- The Indian Grand Prix is being replaced by a 16-leg Indian Athletics Series of Category F meets across multiple cities, culminating in a New Delhi final featuring international athletes.
- New eligibility rules require at least two competitions for Federation Cup entry and three plus a state meet for the Inter-State Nationals, with qualification standards relaxed to include more emerging athletes.
- Selection trials for the Commonwealth and Asian Games are not yet final, with the chief coach indicating the Inter-State Nationals on July 8–12 in Bhubaneswar as the likely choice; the Federation Cup runs May 22–25 in Ranchi.