India, New Zealand Plan Centenary Sports Partnership for 2026

Earlier in the day, Rao led a delegation-level meeting with New Zealand officials to identify priority areas for collaboration.

India and New Zealand have agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in sports as they prepare to mark 100 years of sporting ties in 2026, with a focus on athlete development, high-performance training and sports diplomacy.

The discussions took place during a high-level ministerial meeting in New Delhi chaired by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, who met a visiting New Zealand sports delegation to explore ways to strengthen collaboration between the two countries’ sporting ecosystems.

Centenary of Historic Sporting Ties

The year 2026 marks a century of sports engagement between India and New Zealand, dating back to the 1926 Indian Army hockey tour to New Zealand, one of the earliest major sporting exchanges between the two nations.

Building on this legacy, both countries discussed new initiatives aimed at deepening cooperation and enhancing people-to-people connections through sport.

Delegations Discuss Expanded Cooperation

The Indian delegation included Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary (Sports), along with senior officials from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Sports Authority of India, the Indian Olympic Association, and representatives from national sports federations.

Earlier in the day, Rao led a delegation-level meeting with New Zealand officials to identify priority areas for collaboration.

The New Zealand delegation was led by Chris Bishop, Associate Minister for Sport and Recreation, and included:

• Patrick John Rata, New Zealand High Commissioner to India

• Former international cricketer Ross Taylor

• Raelene Castle, CEO of Sport New Zealand

• Representatives from Hockey New Zealand, Athletics New Zealand and Paralympics New Zealand

Priority Sports Identified

Both sides identified several priority sports for collaboration, including:

• Rugby

• Rowing

• Canoeing

• Sailing

• Athletics

• Cycling

These disciplines were selected based on opportunities for joint training, athlete development and knowledge sharing.

India–New Zealand Centenary Sports Cooperation Programme

The meeting focused on launching the India–New Zealand Centenary Sports Cooperation Programme 2026, a year-long initiative designed to commemorate the centenary of sporting ties.

The programme aims to expand collaboration in areas such as:

• Sports development

• High-performance training

• Innovation in sports science

• Athlete exchange and people-to-people engagement

Proposed Sports and Culture Week

As part of the celebrations, both sides discussed organising an India–New Zealand Sports and Culture Week, which could be hosted across cities in both countries.

The event would bring together athletes, coaches and communities, while also highlighting indigenous sporting traditions and cultural exchanges.

Collaboration in High-Performance Sports

A major focus of the discussions was strengthening cooperation in high-performance sports systems.

Both countries explored initiatives such as:

• Joint training camps for athletes

• Coaching exchange programmes

• Knowledge sharing in sports science, analytics and performance management

Officials also discussed integrating New Zealand’s coach development framework into the curriculum of the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala.

Joint Working Group to Oversee Implementation

To ensure effective implementation of the partnership, India and New Zealand agreed to establish a Joint Working Group.

The group will:

• Coordinate the cooperation framework

• Nominate nodal officers from both countries

• Establish monitoring mechanisms and periodic reviews

Strengthening Sports Diplomacy

The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of India and New Zealand to strengthen sports diplomacy and long-term collaboration.

Officials said the centenary partnership aims to deliver tangible outcomes for athletes, coaches and sports institutions, while strengthening the historic sporting relationship between the two nations.