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The National Sports Policy 2025, officially known as Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, was approved by the Indian Union Cabinet on Tuesday.

The new policy replaces a two-decade-old National Sports Policy 2001 and is aimed at transforming India’s sporting ecosystem and empowering its citizens through sports.

It aims to change the way sports work in India. It provides a pathway to grow sports in different areas from winning at the global level to using it as a way of boosting the economy by creating job opportunities and using sports to bring people together. The policy encourages everyone to come forward and will also align with the National Education Policy 2020.

The policy is based around five core pillars – Excellence on Global Stage, Sports for Social Development, Sports for Economic Development, Sports as People’s Movement and Integration with NEP 2020.

Read explains what each of these means:

Excellence on the global stage

This pillar is focused on building a system that consistently produces world-class athletes not just for the Olympics, but across major international competitions.

It aims to focus on early talent identification, building competitive leagues, and expanding infrastructure in rural and urban areas. To enhance athlete support systems with recruitment and training of high-quality coaches – both domestic and international.

It also seeks to modernize governance within National Sports Federations and promote the use of sports science, medicine, and technology to boost performance. It also aims to put in place athlete monitoring systems for injury prevention and recovery with focus on nutrition, psychology, and long-term athlete health.

Sports for economic development

The NSP 2025 recognizes the vast economic potential of the sports sector and aims to turn it into a major contributor to India’s growth.

The government will work with private companies to build and manage top-quality sports facilities and support sports through CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and new ways of funding.

India also wants to become an epicentre for big international sports events with a keen eye on its bid to host the 2036 Olympics. The policy aims to improve event planning, build better infrastructure, and promote 13 new professional sports leagues in cities across the country.

The government plans to seize the opportunity to create businesses, careers and bring laurels to the country by way of sports.

Sports for social development

The policy wants to ensure that everyone gets a chance to play sports, especially women, tribal communities, poor families, and people with disabilities. It also plans to bring back traditional Indian games, help athletes build careers in both sports and education, and connect with the Indian diaspora.

It also aims to encourage Indian diaspora to come back and represent India at the international arena, in a major move.

Sports as people’s movement

The policy wants to make sports and fitness a part of everyday life for everyone, not just professional athletes.

It encourages people to stay active through events like walkathons, marathons, yoga sessions, and cycling rallies. It also plans to open up sports facilities for everyone and not just restrict it to elite athletes.

The main objective is to build a healthy and active society, something that people will enjoy and continue to do in the future.

Educational integration

The policy aligns with the National Education Policy 2020, which says physical activity is important for overall development.

It aims to make sports as important as studies, arts, and other skills in schools and colleges. The goal is to make sure that every student gets a chance to play, stay fit, and grow through sports as part of their regular education.

The National Sports Policy 2025 aims to make sports a big part of India’s development.

It’s not just about winning medals – it’s about using sports to build a healthier, stronger, and more united country. This is a focused plan to make sure everyone gets a chance to play and grow while making India a top sporting nation.