PM Modi Calls for Wider Olympic Participation to Boost India’s Medal Tally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for India to significantly expand its participation in Olympic sports, saying the country can improve its medal tally only by competing in events where it has traditionally had little or no representation.

Khelo India has become a wonderful platform for nurturing sporting talent across the country. It is providing young athletes with opportunities and support to pursue their dreams.@kheloindia
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— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 27, 2026

Addressing athletes, students and volunteers participating in the Khelo India Dialogue through video conferencing, Modi described India's limited participation across Olympic disciplines as a major challenge for the country's sporting ambitions.

“In the Olympics, there are so many different sports... Indian teams don't even participate in half of them,” the Prime Minister said, calling the situation a “bitter truth.”

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, India competed in 16 of the 32 sports on the Games roster. Modi pointed out that this limited participation means India does not even compete for medals in a substantial portion of Olympic events.

Expanding India’s Olympic Medal Potential

The Prime Minister said India must develop expertise in a wider range of sports if it wants to substantially increase its Olympic medal tally.

According to Modi, several countries win medals in disciplines in which India does not currently participate, highlighting the untapped potential available through broader sporting participation and talent development.

He also linked the expansion of India's sporting ecosystem with his broader vision for a developed India.

Sports as a Tool for Nation Building

Modi emphasised that India's sporting ambitions should extend beyond winning medals. He said sports must become an integral part of the country's nation-building process by bringing together India's sporting and youth potential.

The Prime Minister recalled his Independence Day address on August 15, when he announced a nationwide talent hunt for children between the ages of 5 and 15.

The initiative aims to identify sporting talent at an early age and increase India's participation in Olympic disciplines.

“It's not merely about winning medals,” Modi said, underlining a larger vision to integrate India's sporting power and youth power into the construction of a developed India.

The Khelo India initiative is expected to play an important role in identifying, nurturing and developing young sporting talent across the country, with greater participation seen as a key foundation for India's long-term Olympic ambitions.