New Delhi: India and New Zealand on Monday agreed to form a Joint Working Group to oversee their sports cooperation framework.
This became clear following a meeting between Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and the New Zealand sports delegation in New Delhi.
The discussions focused on expanding bilateral sports cooperation and strengthening collaboration between the two countries’ sporting ecosystems.
The year 2026 marks 100 years of sporting ties between India and New Zealand, tracing back to the 1926 Indian Army hockey tour to New Zealand. This historic tour was one of the earliest major sporting engagements between the two nations. Both sides discussed new initiatives to deepen cooperation and enhance sports diplomacy.
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, Rao led a delegation-level meeting with New Zealand officials. They identified priority sports for collaboration, including rugby, rowing, canoeing, sailing, athletics, and cycling, according to an official statement.
The New Zealand delegation was led by Chris Bishop, Associate Minister for Sport and Recreation. It included Patrick John Rata, New Zealand High Commissioner to India, former international cricketer Ross Taylor, Raelene Castle, CEO of Sport New Zealand, and representatives from Hockey New Zealand, Athletics New Zealand, and Paralympics New Zealand.
The meeting focused on the India-New Zealand Centenary Sports Cooperation Programme 2026. This year-long initiative will commemorate 100 years of sporting ties and promote collaboration in sports development, high-performance training, innovation, and people-to-people engagement.
Both countries discussed organising sports and cultural exchange initiatives. A proposed India-New Zealand Sports and Culture Week will be hosted across cities in both countries. It will bring together athletes, coaches, and communities while celebrating indigenous sporting traditions.
A key focus was high-performance sports collaboration. Plans include joint training camps, coaching exchanges, and knowledge sharing in sports science, analytics, and athlete performance systems.
