The Union Cabinet has approved the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme with a total outlay of ₹1,856.67 crore for the period from 2026-27 to 2033-34. The programme was announced in the Union Budget 2026-27 and is intended to build a more competitive domestic sports-goods manufacturing industry.
The scheme combines industrial infrastructure with targeted incentives. Dedicated Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones are planned to bring manufacturers, suppliers, testing facilities, design centres and prototyping capabilities into common clusters. Support for anchor investment and turnover-linked production accounts for a combined outlay of ₹1,130 crore.
Another ₹105 crore is earmarked to help manufacturers obtain and renew certifications from international sports federations. This is important because quality and technical certification can be a barrier to supplying equipment for professional and international sport. The programme also includes Centres of Excellence, start-up support, skilling, R&D and export promotion.
The industrial-policy question is whether the scheme can move Indian firms from lower-value or fragmented production into higher-quality branded and certified products. Manufacturing zones can reduce shared infrastructure and testing costs, but competitiveness will also depend on design capability, materials, productivity, intellectual property and access to international distribution.
The scheme links India's sports ambitions with manufacturing policy: demand created by expanding participation and professional sport is being used as a base for building domestic production and export capacity rather than relying primarily on imported high-end equipment.