National Sports Policy 2025: What it means for OCI players' inclusion in Indian Football Team?

The new National Sports Policy has a major update on OCI/diaspora players.

The Union Cabinet of the Indian government have given their nod for the new National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025 on July 1, 2025. This new policy is being seen as an initiative that aims at ‘reshaping the country’s sporting landscape and empowering citizens through sports’.

Interestingly, it replaces the previous National Sports Policy that was created in 2001. As part of its policy, there are five ‘key pillars’ that were announced by the Indian government. One of the pointers mentioned in the ‘Sports for Social Development’ category points to ‘engaging the Indian diaspora through sports’.

Also Read: Indian Union Cabinet approves National Sports Policy 2025

“Sports can serve as a powerful tool for international diplomacy and cooperation. International sports exchange programs will be promoted to allow knowledge sharing, capacity-building, and collaborative development efforts. Sports can serve as a powerful bridge between the Indian diaspora and India, fostering enduring emotional, cultural, and social connections,” the National Sports Policy reads.

For those not in the know, the term ‘diaspora’ is actually a term used for overseas Indian citizens who are living and earning their livelihood in different countries. Basically, this pointer seems to hint towards the possibility that the government is planning to attract overseas Indian citizens to represent India in sporting competitions or for the Indian national teams, which includes the Indian football team.

There appear to be plans for allowing the Indian football team to field OCI (Overseas Citizens of India) players in the future. With the Indian government hoping to ‘engage’ the diaspora through sporting activities, they might be finally planning to allow OCI players to play for the national sporting teams that represent India.

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“To strengthen this bond, dedicated sporting events and leagues can be organized specifically for and among the Indian diaspora. Wherever feasible, promising and prominent Indian-origin athletes living abroad may be encouraged to come back and play for India at the international level. Together, these efforts can transform sport into a dynamic tool of cultural diplomacy and nation-building, strengthening the global Indian identity,” it adds.

AIFF waiting for the green light to include OCI players

This National Sports Policy 2025 comes after an encouraging update that was given by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) president, Kalyan Chaubey, in a press meet in June 2025 about the prospect of OCI players. The AIFF president claimed that the federation has been in contact with 33 OCI players who have shown a desire to play for the Indian football team.

Chaubey also revealed that the AIFF have communicated with various government departments about the possibility of OCI players representing India. He had claimed that the responses from the government had been positive, and it appears the government personnel are finally inching closer to allowing OCI players to play for the Indian football team or any other national sports team.

The Indian football team are set to return to action in October 2025 for their next two 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Singapore, but it remains to be seen if the OCI representation issue can be fast-tracked to allow overseas players to play for India by that time.

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