Khelo India Sports Goods Scheme Gets Rs 1,856.67 Crore

The Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme on 28 October 2026. The scheme carries a total outlay of Rs 1,856.67 crore and will run from 2026 to 2033-34. It had been announced in the Union Budget 2026-27, and its purpose is to make India a competitive maker and exporter of sports equipment instead of a buyer of it.

Manufacturing zones at the core

The design rests on dedicated Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones (SGMZs). Rather than scatter factories, the zones place makers, suppliers, testing facilities, design and prototyping centres and ancillary units next to one another, so that a cluster forms and costs fall. These zones will not be raised from nothing: they will come up by tying into industrial infrastructure that already exists under the BHAVYA Scheme and the NICDC Industrial Parks.

How the money is split

Two components do the heavy lifting on investment. Anchor Investment Support is meant to pull large domestic and global manufacturers, brands and retail chains into the notified zones, while Turnover Linked Support rewards firms that lift output and widen capacity. The two together carry Rs 1,130 crore. A separate window of Rs 105 crore pays for manufacturers to win and renew certification from International Sports Federations, without which Indian bats, balls and protective gear struggle to sell abroad.

Research, skills and markets

Centres of Excellence will be set up in leading educational and research institutions to work on sports equipment, material sciences, protective gear and advanced manufacturing. Research will also be routed through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation, and start-ups get dedicated help in line with Startup India. Skill training will be run with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. For exports, the scheme leans on the Export Promotion Mission for branding and market access. Smaller firms are not left out: existing MSME clusters will be upgraded with common facilities and shared infrastructure.

Why aspirants should note it

The scheme sits alongside Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, and complements Khelo India and Fit India. Questions will most likely ask for the outlay, the period, the budget that announced it, and the names of the two investment components.