India will invite Pakistan to 2030 CWG: Indian Sports Ministry

NEW DELHI (Agencies): India will host Pakistan at the 2020 Commonwealth Games, several Indian media outlets reported on Wednesday. The decision seems to have come to not jeopardised India’s chances of hosting the 2036 Olympics by boycotting Pakistan in international events. “The 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, according to First Post. They were also referring to The Indian Express sources close to the Indian Sports Ministry.  “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.

The decision seems to have also been taken after Indonesia’s case. Indonesia faced sanctions by the International Olympic Committee for barring Israeli athletes from competing in the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, earlier this month. Pakistan and India have been engaged in a regional war since May 2025. The political tensions have also been reflected on the sports field when the Indian cricket team refused to shake hands with Pakistani players during the Asia Cup in Dubai. The team also did not receive the trophy after winning the tournament from the Pakistan Cricket Board Chief, and the Asian Cricket Council President, Mohsin Naqvi. Earlier in October, media reported that the Indian city of Ahmedabad is in a prime position to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the Executive Board of Commonwealth Sport announced. The choice of Ahmedabad, also known as Amdavad, will be put forward to the full Commonwealth Sport membership, with a final decision to be taken at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow on November 26.  “The Executive Board of Commonwealth Sport has today confirmed that it will recommend Ahmedabad, India, as the proposed host city for the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games,” the Executive Board said in a statement. Ahmedabad is the key city in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, home to a 130,000-seater arena, which is the world’s biggest cricket stadium. The venue is named after the premier.