Overview
- Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao warned federations to submit final contingent lists, including support staff, to the IOA by January 15, with the Asian Games organising committee deadline on January 30 or risk missing the event.
- The ministry presented an Asian Games estimate of 111 medals and a reduced Commonwealth Games projection of about 20 total, reflecting a truncated CWG programme that omits several sports where India is strong.
- The government outlined a long-range medal strategy approved by the Prime Minister targeting 12–14 golds and 30–35 total medals by 2036 and about 35–40 golds and roughly 100 total by 2048.
- Planned reforms include Olympic Training Centres across disciplines, an AI-driven talent identification and monitoring system, and a National Institute of Sports Science and Research.
- A Pullela Gopichand-led committee’s coaching reforms will inform a new certification board with tiered credentials, while Minister Mansukh Mandaviya pressed federations to end internal politics, unfair selections and financial irregularities.