Soon India will be increasingly harnessing the prowess of technology and artificial intelligence in the sports arena to further shore up the country’s progress in different sporting disciplines at the global level. Indications to this are available from the Draft off the National Sports Policy, 2025, now under wide-spread discussion among the sporting bodies and the people at large.
The broad contours of the new sports policy spells out the specific use of technology to assess and assist the development of players as soon as the talent is spotted and through their forward march, whatever be the sporting discipline.
According to Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the new sports policy presents the road map for the overall development of athletes using cutting edge technologies for sports and include work out an alignment of sports science, sports medicine, and performance technology for the overall betterment of the sporting ecosystem of the country.
The draft policy sets out the pathway for the development and upgrading of sports science and sports medicine facilities at strategic training centres throughout the country. These facilities will assist across all facets of athlete development, from injury prevention to bio-mechanical analysis, mental health care, nutrition, and recovery science.
The draft policy contained in the National Sports Bill 2025, is expected to come up in the ongoing Monsoon session of the parliament. The minister said that he had already held discussions with former sports minister and congress leader Ajay Maken.
“I did a series of consultations with NSFs, athletes, coaches, also got 600 inputs from the public when the draft was put online for suggestions. I also had a three-hour meeting with sports lawyers to understand their perspective,” Mr. Mandaviya stated in his address.
Addressing in Khelo India Conclave meeting recently, the minister said, quote “I did a series of consultations with NSFs, athletes, coaches, also got 600 inputs from the public when the draft was put online for suggestions. I also had a three-hour meeting with sports lawyers to understand their perspective,”.
The Khelo India website contains the draft sports policy for wider discussions among the various stakeholders for their valuable inputs that have already gone into its preparation.
Among the initiatives under consideration for enhancing sporting prowess include:
- AI-driven performance analytics
- Real-time dashboards to monitor training loads and recovery indices
- Data-informed injury risk management platforms
- Combination of wearable technology and GPS tracking for ongoing performance feedback
- These digital platforms are designed to enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in training and athlete support systems.
- The other contours of the proposed sports policy include innovations and research for advancing sports and athletes.
Innovation and Research in Focus
For sustainability and future-preparedness, the policy suggests establishing a sports innovation task force and a research institution and startup grant program. The aim is to develop India-specific solutions for training, recovery, climate adaptation, and load management.
Educational and technical establishments shall be induced to work with premier sports organizations in order to promote cross-domain innovation, such that the tools are scientifically sound and yet practically relevant to Indian realities.
Long-Term Impact and Vision
The National Sports Policy 2025 conceptualizes a performance-driven culture in which excellence is not only anticipated but facilitated by evidence-informed planning and top-notch assets. By integrating sports science and medicine into day-to-day national program operations, the policy seeks to:
- Extend athlete careers
- Minimise injury-related dropouts
- Enhance elite performance consistency
- Enhance mental health and overall well-being.
