 "Why India will invite Pakistan for 2030 Commonwealth Games despite tensions: Report")
India is set to be officially announced as the host nation for the 2030 Commonwealth Games (CWG) at the body’s General Assembly in Glasgow on November 26, with Ahmedabad chosen as the host city. Earlier this month, the city was recommended as the proposed host of the 2030 centenary games.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has confirmed that Pakistan will be allowed to travel to Ahmedabad for the 2030 Commonwealth Games despite strained relations between the two countries. A sports ministry source told The Indian Express that not inviting Pakistan could hurt India’s long-term plans to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
Relations between the two neighbours have been tense, especially after April’s Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 26 Indian tourists in Jammu & Kashmir. The government has been under pressure for continuing to play against Pakistani teams and also for granting them visas to participate in tournaments in India.
The Indian men’s and women’s cricket teams played their Pakistani counterparts in the 2025 Asia Cup and the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup, respectively. The Indian government also granted visas to Pakistani teams, including the men’s hockey team for the Asia Cup in Bihar earlier this year and the Junior World Cup scheduled for next month. Although, Pakistan withdrew from both competitions.
India will invite Pakistan to 2030 CWG
A senior sports ministry official has said that the decision to allow Pakistan’s participation is the correct one. The official referred to Indonesia’s case, where the International Olympic Committee (IOC) imposed sanctions after the country refused to allow Israeli athletes to compete in the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta.
“Government of India was always clear in its stand about playing political enemy Pakistan in multi-lateral tournaments. The Government’s stand is totally vindicated now. Boycotting Pakistan would have been detrimental to our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of hosting the Summer Olympics in 2036. We could have attracted a blanket ban like Indonesia from the IOC for hosting any international events. What happened to them could have happened to us,” the official was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“We are on course to stage the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad in 2030, and again, if we choose not to invite Pakistan, it will only weaken our candidature for the 2036 Olympics. Government had to bear the flak of many citizens on social media after the Pahalgam Terror Attack, but the IOC’s decision to ban Indonesia for political interference has only vindicated our decision,” the official added.
This shows the Indian government is determined to host the 2036 Olympic Games in the country and is willing to follow all the protocols set by the IOC, even if it means making difficult political decisions like allowing Pakistan to come to India for sports while cross-border terrorism continues.
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