India and Australia are set to widen their sporting partnership beyond cricket, with a new roadmap focusing on coach development, sports science, athlete support, youth exchanges and collaboration around major global sporting events.The India-Australia Roadmap for Sports Collaboration announced in Melbourne on Friday aims to create stronger links between sporting institutions, athletes, universities and industry bodies in both countries.The roadmap comes at a time when both nations are preparing for a significant decade in global sport. India will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, while Australia will stage the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032. New Delhi has also expressed its ambition to host a future edition of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.A key area of cooperation will be building sporting capacity. Australia will share its experience in setting up and managing high-performance sports centres in India, while coaches and coach educators from both countries will participate in exchange programmes.Para sports have been identified as another priority area, with the two sides looking at cooperation in athlete classification, coaching and performance support.The roadmap also proposes exchanges in physical education, allowing institutions from both countries to share knowledge and best practices in school sports, sports science and community participation. Opportunities to promote yoga and yogasana sports in Australia will also be explored.Indian athletes could benefit from greater access to high-performance programmes in Australia, with opportunities for support through scholarships funded by the Government of India and partnerships involving sports organisations and universities.Research collaboration is another important part of the plan. Universities in India and Australia will be encouraged to work together on areas such as athlete performance analysis, injury prevention, sports nutrition, wearable technology and recovery methods. They will also explore joint development of sports-related courses.The two countries will also work together on hosting major sporting events by sharing expertise and exploring exhibition matches and youth tournaments. Sports such as kabaddi and kho kho could gain greater visibility in Australia, while Australian Rules football and basketball could find more opportunities in India.The roadmap also highlights the growing cricket partnership between the two nations. It welcomes the first Big Bash League match to be held in India, scheduled in Chennai in December 2026, and encourages Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India to explore the possibility of hosting annual BBL matches in India.Away from competition, the partnership will extend to the sports industry, with plans to promote cooperation in sports equipment manufacturing, broadcasting, event management and sports technology start-ups. India and Australia also aim to increase trade in sports goods and share expertise in areas such as coaching, strength and conditioning, athlete wellbeing, nutrition and psychology.The roadmap places special emphasis on women’s participation in sport, with plans for joint initiatives focused on leadership, health, high performance and greater opportunities for women athletes.Officials said the roadmap would be implemented through existing partnerships, with projects taken up according to available resources and timelines linked to major sporting events.