Editorial 2: Adding a French touch to India’s Olympic dream

Context

Paris is working to boost India-France sports cooperation and share its expertise in organising major sporting events

Introduction

The 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games garnered global acclaim as resounding triumphs across organization, public engagement, and athletic achievement. Set against the backdrop of iconic Parisian landmarksand extending throughout France, the spectacular venues and opening/closing ceremonies, combined with the remarkable performances of the athletes and the palpable nationwide excitement, captivated both in-person attendees and television audiences worldwide. Notably, these Games served as a unifying force, fostering connection and understanding, a particularly significant achievement given the prevailing global political climate.

India's Historic Contribution to the 2024 Paris Olympics

• France appreciates India's full participation in the festivities, which contributed to the success of the Games.
• The Indian Paralympic delegation achieved a record-breaking performance, securing the 18th position in the medals tally.
• Under an international cooperation framework, India sent K9 teams abroad for the first time to patrol various Olympic venues, enhancing France's security arrangements.
• India House, the first Indian hospitality centre in Olympic history, was set up during the 2024 Games and opened to visitors at the iconic "Nations Park.

Expertise that will be shared

France's Perspective on India's Growing Role in Sports

• Sports in Indian Society and Economy: Increasing Importance: Sports have become an essential part of Indian society and economy.
  • Prime Minister's View: Narendra Modi has emphasized that sports are a vital aspect of national development.
• India's Sports Developments: 2036 Games Bid: India is bidding to host the 2036 Olympics.
  • Organizing International Events: India is focusing on hosting international sporting events.
  • Improvement in Sports Practices: Indian authorities are working to improve sports performance, highlighted by the establishment of 10 Olympic training centers nationwide.
• Sports Cooperation Between India and France: Mutual Interest: Both countries are eager to deepen sports cooperation.
  • High-Level Engagement:
    • President Emmanuel Macron and PM Modi discussed sports during the French President’s visit to India in January 2024.
    • PM Modi's visit to France in February 2025 further emphasized the importance of this cooperation.
• Recent Agreements and Initiatives:

• Ambassador-at-Large for Sport Mission:
  • Objective: Enhance France’s understanding of India’s sports ecosystem and deepen cooperation.
  • Engagement with Key Players: Meetings with institutional and economic stakeholders to explore new areas of collaboration.
• Expertise Sharing in Major Sporting Events:
  • Focus: Sharing expertise in organizing international sporting events and ensuring their long-term social and environmental legacy.
  • Ongoing Exchanges: Delegations from India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports visited France during the Paralympic Games in September 2024.
• Identifying Needs for 2036 Bid:
  • As India’s 2036 Olympics bid develops, the Ambassador’s visit will help identify India's specific needs and ensure dialogue aligns with India’s targeted priorities.

A vibrant industry that has much to offer

• Medium-Term Goal:
  • The focus is on bringing new players, especially from the economic sector, into the collaboration.
• French Sports Industry Overview:
  • The French sports industry is highly dynamic.
  • In 2023, it generated a turnover of €75 billion (approximately ₹6.7 lakh crore at that time).
  • This turnover is higher than that of the aerospace industry (€65 billion).
• Industry Landscape:
  • The sector comprises around 1,28,000 companies of various sizes.
  • It covers diverse areas such as:
    • Construction
    • Major equipment
    • Data analysis
    • Ticketing
    • Consumer experience
• Existing and Expanding Companies:
  • Some companies, like Decathlon, are already well-known in the Indian market.
  • Many others are planning to expand into India soon.
• New Partnerships:
  • There are promising new collaborations, such as the recent partnership between Tata Consultancy Services and Amaury Sport Organisation for the Paris Marathon.

Conclusion

Finally, strengthening connections between the sports communities of our two countries — including athletes and coaches — is a key focus of France’s sports diplomacy, with the main aim being to encourage youth exchanges with India. A recent success in this area is the partnership between the Indian and French surfing federations, which signed a cooperation agreement last November. As part of this agreement, four Indian surfers under the age of 21 were invited to compete in an international event in Reunion Island, a French territory in the Indian Ocean.