From global prestige to economic burden—India’s strategic challenges and opportunities in hosting mega sporting events
The 2030 Commonwealth Games are not just a competition for India, but a crucial “precursor” to the 2036 World Olympics. This event could elevate India’s cultural power (soft power), but any administrative shortcomings could damage its international reputation.
For any nation, mega sporting events are not merely sporting events; they are also a public demonstration of that nation’s political will, economic strength, cultural identity, and administrative maturity. In modern times, sports diplomacy has become a form of cultural power—a power that can influence the global community without any military force. India has long strived to strengthen various dimensions of its global reputation, and its ambition to host the 2036 World Olympics is the next natural step in this direction.
But India views hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games as a kind of “rehearsal,” a “pre-Olympic template,” and a “test of global confidence” before hosting a mega-event like the Olympics. This strategy offers as attractive a potential as it presents serious economic, administrative, and social challenges.
In a diverse democracy like India, preparing for such events requires the combined efforts of not just the Sports Ministry, but also the central government, state governments, municipal bodies, security agencies, the private sector, technical experts, sports federations, and the wider society. If India successfully hosts the 2030 Commonwealth Games, it will send a message globally that the country is capable of handling a massive event like the 2036 World Olympics. This is why this event could prove to be a turning point for India’s credibility.
India’s greatest motivation is to strengthen its cultural power. Today, in global politics, sporting events have transcended cultural celebrations and become an open test of a nation’s capabilities. Nations showcase their technical prowess, city management, security, social inclusion, environmental awareness, and cultural confidence on the world stage. If India successfully hosts the 2030 Commonwealth Games at a high level, it will undoubtedly elevate India’s prestige to new heights.
But what will be the price of this prestige? This is a difficult question that could prove detrimental for India if ignored. The most controversial aspect of mega sporting events is their enormous economic cost. The 2010 Commonwealth Games still remain a stain on India’s administrative image—overspending, corruption, lack of timeliness, and poor venue quality significantly impacted India’s image. If similar shortcomings resurface in 2030, the dream of hosting the 2036 World Olympics could become virtually impossible. Therefore, financial discipline, transparency, multi-level audits, and accountability must be prioritized from now on.
Along with all this, the 2030 event can also prove to be a laboratory for India. It will be an opportunity to test urban infrastructure, traffic management, disaster response, green energy, drainage systems, healthcare, public safety, and sports science against international standards. At events of this scale, even a moment’s misstep can lead to major crises. Therefore, the 2030 event can prove to be a full-scale exercise for India, testing not only sports management but also the entire governance system.
Additionally, urban governance will face its most difficult test. A mega-sporting event isn’t limited to the venue and athletes’ accommodation. It becomes a stress test for the entire city’s transportation, road infrastructure, airport capacity, sanitation systems, water management, night lighting, hospital preparedness, crowd control, environmental sensitivity, and the use of modern technology. Potential host cities—Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, or any multi-city model—will all face immense preparation pressures.
This preparation is both an opportunity and a challenge. An opportunity because it can elevate urban infrastructure to world standards. The challenge is to avoid this investment becoming merely “showy infrastructure” that becomes useless after the event. There are numerous examples worldwide where stadiums and buildings constructed for sporting events later become “dead structures.” This problem has been witnessed in India as well. Therefore, it is essential that whatever infrastructure is built remains useful for the public, sports training institutions, and urban development even after the event.
India stands to gain immensely in areas such as tourism, hospitality, cultural performances, arts and crafts, traditional music, cuisine, and ethnic diversity. Millions of visitors and delegates from around the world will visit India, providing significant benefits to the service sector, trade, transportation, agro-based consumption, and micro-industries. Furthermore, the Digital India concept—such as a fully digital entry system, remote sensing security system, and fast communication networks—can provide a highly effective demonstration of India’s technological capabilities to the world.
Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that the costs of world events like the Olympics are enormous. Based on current global averages, these costs are exorbitant. Therefore, it is essential for India to use the 2030 Commonwealth Games as a financial laboratory, where measures such as public-private partnerships, social responsibility funds, tourism-based revenue, and partnership models can be tested firsthand to see which models may be more sustainable and successful in India’s social circumstances.
But an important line of criticism is whether it’s appropriate for a developing nation like India to spend so much money on such large events. Couldn’t this money be used more effectively in basic areas like schools, healthcare, rural sports, women athletes, coaches, sports science laboratories, and sports academies? This question is quite logical. The primary objective of any sporting event should not be “glowing national prestige” but “developing national talent.” If the resources spent on the event are diverted from grassroots sports infrastructure and are solely focused on building grandeur, it would be detrimental to national interest.
Additionally, this event could also provide a new dimension to India’s international diplomacy. India is already becoming a leading representative of the global South, and its contribution to global institutions is steadily increasing. Successful hosting of the Games will further strengthen India’s multifaceted leadership capabilities. This will send the message that India is no longer just an emerging economy, but a responsible, capable, and world-class host nation.
Yet the ultimate question remains—is India institutionally prepared? Internal politics within sports associations, lack of transparency, corruption, weak selection processes, and administrative uncertainty—these problems still weaken the Indian sports system. If these shortcomings are not addressed, the quality of both the 2030 and 2036 events could be affected.
Ultimately, the 2030 Commonwealth Games represent a huge opportunity and an equally significant responsibility for India. This event could be a global showcase of India’s cultural strength, technological prowess, cultural diversity, and administrative efficiency. It could decisively strengthen the 2036 World Olympics proposal. But this is only possible if India does not view it as a mere spectacle, but instead connects it with long-term national interests. If investment is sustainable, policies are transparent, administration is responsive, and infrastructure remains usable by the public, both events could open a golden chapter in India’s history.
It’s clear—the 2030 Commonwealth Games are not just “an event,” but a comprehensive test of India’s global standing, economic future, and diplomatic power. This is a juncture where success could catapult India to the center of the global sports scene, and failure could set it back years. Therefore, India must maintain a balance of determination, caution, and vision on this journey.
