Against the backdrop of growing regional tensions and a fragile diplomatic climate, the South Asian giant is set to send a high-level delegation to the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne to continue discussions on its efforts to host the 2036 Games.
From 30 June to 2 July, India is set to hold crucial in-person talks with the IOC in Lausanne, aiming to advance its bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics. This meeting with the IOC’s Future Host Commission is the most significant step yet in India’s campaign, which was formally launched in October last year.
The eight-member delegation, led by Indian Olympic Association President P.T. Usha, will include senior officials from the Ministry of Sports and the government of Gujarat. The team is expected to present progress on planning and infrastructure proposals tied to Gujarat’s candidacy, with Ahmedabad seen as the likely host city, and receive technical feedback from the IOC.
Prior to the IOC meeting, the delegation will travel to London from June 2 to 7 for discussions with the Commonwealth Games Federation regarding India’s seperate bid to 20130 Commonwealth Games, also proposed for Gujarat.
Inida is one of the several contries competition to host 2036 Games, alongside Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Germany, South Korea, Hungary and Qatar. Under the IOC’s selection process, countries enter a “continuous dialogue” phase before potentially advancing to "targeted dialogue" and a formal bid. The Future Host Commission, chaired by former Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, will evaluate the long-term viability of each proposal.
While India is positioning itself as a serious candidate, its Olympic hopes could be affected by renewed geopolitical tensions with Pakistan. In recent weeks, the two nuclear-armed neighbours experienced their worst military escalation in years following a deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. India blamed Pakistan-based groups for the attack, allegations that Islamabad has denied.
The situation escalated into cross-border airstrikes and drone attacks, but was defused by a last-minute ceasefire. According to Indian military officials, the truce was initiated following a message via a hotline from a senior Pakistani commander. US officials were reportedly also involved, with former President Donald Trump claiming on social media to have brokered the deal and praising both nations for "using common sense and great intelligence". However, New Delhi downplayed any foreign mediation, insisting that the breakthrough came through direct communication with Islamabad.
As diplomatic uncertainty continues, sporting ties between the two countries remain frozen. This week, Indian men’s cricket coach Gautam Gambhir said there should be "absolutely no" matches between India and Pakistan following the Kashmir attack. "There should be no relations between India and Pakistan until the situation is resolved," he told reporters on Tuesday, prior to the airstrikes.
India and Pakistan currently only face off in global tournaments such as the ICC World Cup or the Champions Trophy. Their most recent match, held in Dubai in February, was part of the Champions Trophy, as India refused to play in Pakistan. The two teams are set to meet again later this year in the Women’s World Cup, and could also compete against each other at the Men’s T20 World Cup in 2026. Bilateral series have been suspended since 2013 due to political tensions.
