(Reuters) -India is interested in hosting the Olympic Games in 2036, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday at the opening ceremony of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai.
The country has never hosted the Olympics before, but in 2010 Delhi hosted the Commonwealth Games.
“India will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to organise the Olympics in India in 2036. This is the age-old dream of 140 crore (1.4 billion) Indians, it is their aspiration,” Modi said.
“We want to realise this dream with your collaboration and support… I am confident that India will get the support of the IOC.”
India is among several nations eyeing future Games, with Paris set to host the 2024 summer Olympics and Los Angeles picked for the 2028 Games. Brisbane, Australia, will stage the 2032 Olympics.
India is a growing sports power, having finished fourth in the Asian Games this month, with a national record of 28 golds, and more than 100 medals overall.
The country also won seven medals, including one gold, at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the nation’s record haul.
Cricket, the most popular sport in India, was also picked this week along with four other sports to be included in the 2028 Olympics.
Last month, Polish President Andrzej Duda said his country was hopeful of organising the 2036 Olympics, while Indonesia and Mexico are also expected to bid to host sport’s biggest event.
Modi also said India would look to host the Youth Olympics in 2029.
“Sport is not just about winning medals but also winning hearts,” he said.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair and Maria Ponnezhath in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Potter, Hugh Lawson and Toby Davis)
