New Delhi [India], August 30 (AN): India reaffirmed its commitment to building an Atmanirbhar Bharat in the sports sector as Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya, chaired the first-ever Sports Goods Manufacturing Conclave held in New Delhi on Saturday, an statement from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports said.

Organised by the Ministry, the conclave brought together representatives from NITI Aayog, Commerce Ministry, DPIIT, FICCI, CII, MSMEs and leading sports industry stakeholders to chart a new roadmap for India's sports goods manufacturing capabilities.

The Union Minister underlined that for the first time, 'Sports Goods Manufacturing' has been formally included in the Allocation of Business Rules, 1961, under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports through a Gazette Notification issued earlier this week. This marks a historic milestone in giving sports manufacturing the same policy status as other national industries.

Addressing the gathering, Mandaviya underscored the government's vision of aligning sports goods manufacturing with the national growth agenda. 'In India, the sports ecosystem is growing at speed. We have the potential to go big, and we are not dependent on anyone. Sports goods manufacturing is a priority sector for us, and we have to implement this steadily. I am very pleased with it being included in the Allocation of Business Rules. Hence, we did this important conclave,' he said.

Reaffirming the Atmanirbhar Bharat agenda, the Minister said, as quoted from a press release by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, 'Everyone has to make sure that we implement everything keeping in mind' Nation first'. Aatmanirbharta and the use of Swadeshi goods are the need of the hour. We must move forward with the spirit of Garv se Swadeshi. From a one per cent global share now, we have to take it to 25 per cent by 2036. Economic growth happens when there is demand, and it increases with manufacturing, which also results in employment generation.'

Mandaviya also highlighted India's demographic advantage, saying, 'India grows on its own model. With 1.4 billion people, we already have the largest market. We must walk the path of our roadmap. We will now decide the policy framework based on the inputs from this conclave. All stakeholders will be brought together, and unanimously we will decide the policy framework on sports goods manufacturing. A task force will be formed with representatives of the Ministry, NSFs and industry stakeholders to craft a forward-looking policy and unlock the sector's vast untapped potential.'

The conclave saw extensive deliberations and presentations from industry leaders on the sports goods manufacturing industry, India's strengths, and strategy for making it a global hub, as well as challenges and solutions in the sector. Mandaviya also noted that the conclave was not just about manufacturing sports goods, but about creating a complete ecosystem that combines industry, innovation, and employment. The overall aim was to strengthen India's march towards becoming a global sporting and economic powerhouse.

The Indian sports goods sector is valued at USD 4.88 billion (Rs 42,877 crore) in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 6.6 billion (Rs 57,800 crore) by 2027 and Rs 87,300 crore by 2034. The sector provides employment to over five lakh people, primarily in MSME clusters at Meerut, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Delhi-NCR. India is the third-largest sports goods manufacturer in Asia and the 21st-largest exporter globally, with exports worth USD 523 million in 2023-24 to more than 90 countries. Major export destinations include the USA, UK, Australia, Germany, and France, with opportunities expanding in South Africa, the UAE, Canada, and Sweden. (ANI)