Prime Minister Modi says India will bid for 2036 Olympics

NEW DELHI – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed that the world’s most populous country will bid to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai on Saturday, Modi said hosting the event is “the age-old dream” for India.

“Indians are not only sports lovers, but we also live by them,” Modi said. “India will leave no stone unturned in preparing for the successful hosting of the 2036 Olympic Games – this is the dream of the 140 crore (1.4 billion) Indians.”

“With your support we want to make this dream come true. I am sure that India will receive constant support from the IOC.”

A city or region was not specified by Modi, but Ahmedabad, which boasts the world’s largest stadium with a capacity of 132,000 and is named after the Indian prime minister, would be a likely candidate as the main host city for the country’s bid.

Indonesia and Mexico have previously officially expressed interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics, and last month Polish President Andrzej Duda told the IOC it wants to host the Games.

The IOC has not set a firm timetable for awarding hosting rights for the 2036 Games.

The 2036 Summer Games are the next available edition: Paris will host in 2024, Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032.

Modi also told the IOC that India would consider applying to host the Youth Olympic Games in 2029.

“Sports is not just about winning medals but also about winning hearts,” he said.