The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has officially approved India’s proposal to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games during a Special General Meeting (SGM) held in New Delhi on Wednesday. 

Ahmedabad has been suggested as the host city, with India having already submitted an Expression of Interest. The final bid proposals are due by August 31.

India’s chances of hosting the Games have improved after Canada withdrew from the bidding process.

Inspection and preparations

A team from Commonwealth Sport, headed by Director of Games Darren Hall, recently visited Ahmedabad to inspect venues and meet with Gujarat government officials. A bigger delegation is expected to visit later this month. The host country will be officially announced by the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow during the last week of November. 

India last hosted the Games in Delhi in 2010.

All sports to be included

Speaking after the meeting, IOA joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey said, "The approval was given unanimously by the General House. We will now move ahead full steam with our preparations."

Executive Council member Rohit Rajpal added, "The 2030 CWG will be a full-fledged Games. We will have all the sports we are good at and have a chance of winning maximum medals."

Rajpal explained that the Games feature three types of sports: core sports always included, sports chosen by the host country, and additional sports. "The 2030 will be an inclusive Games and will feature our traditional and indigenous sports also," he said.

Chaubey also highlighted, "The plan is to have all our medal-earning sports like shooting, archery, wrestling, etc. Our traditional sports like kabaddi and kho kho should also be there."

The announcement comes after the 2026 Glasgow Games decided to exclude major sports like hockey, badminton, wrestling, and shooting to reduce costs.

The SGM followed an Executive Council meeting held earlier in the day.