Australia backs India's 2036 Olympics bid as Delhi, Canberra announce Sports Cooperation Roadmap

India and Australia have unveiled their first-ever Roadmap for Sports Collaboration, marking a significant deepening of bilateral ties built on a shared passion for sport. The announcement, made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Australia PM Albanese extended support to India's bid to host the 2036 Olympic.

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The roadmap builds on a 2023 memorandum of understanding and sets out practical cooperation in capacity building, sports science and technology, major event hosting, industry investment, and women’s participation in sport. It aligns with a busy decade of mega-events: India hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and Australia staging the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics.
At the MCG event, attended by Australian sporting legends including Steve Waugh and Lisa Sthalekar, the two leaders interacted with young athletes in kabaddi, Australian football, and cricket exhibitions. Prime Minister Modi highlighted the unifying power of sport. “Sports have a unique role in bringing people together,” he said, while congratulating Australia on its recent women’s cricket World Cup victory. He noted that the two nations are entering “a significant decade in international sports” and that the roadmap would help diversify and strengthen their partnership.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who joined Modi at the MCG, emphasised the economic as well as cultural benefits. “Australia and India are united by our love and passion for sport,” Mr Albanese said. “This sports roadmap will focus on practical priority areas such as capability building, technology and research to strengthen this cornerstone of our bilateral relationship. I am excited to expand cooperation with India on sport, which not only brings joy to Australians but boosts trade, tourism and investment.”
Australia has announced its decision to play the Big Bash League (BBL)'s opening match in Chennai in December 2026, the first time an Australian men’s domestic T20 league fixture will be staged abroad. The game, part of a week-long “G’Day Namaste” festival featuring cultural, business, and sporting events, is expected to draw significant Indian audiences and promote tourism and trade links.
The roadmap explicitly welcomes this initiative and encourages further annual BBL matches in India. It also identifies opportunities for exhibition matches in other sports, such as Australian football in India and kabaddi in Australia, alongside collaboration on high-performance coaching, para-sport development, anti-doping efforts, and sports industry investment.
The agreement reflects the maturing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. Cricket remains the emotional heart, but the deal extends far beyond the boundary, from sports science research between universities to women’s leadership programmes and commercial opportunities in event management and equipment manufacturing.