NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India has submitted a bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, hoping it will bolster its credentials to stage the 2036 Olympic Games, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said.
An IOA delegation submitted the bid proposal at the Commonwealth Sport headquarters in London on Friday.
"This is not just a bid to stage a sporting event - it is our commitment to the Commonwealth family to deliver Games that are athlete-centred, inclusive, sustainable, and future-facing," IOA Executive Council member Harpal Singh said in a telephone call from London.
"Our vision is to use this milestone not only to honour the past but to set the stage for the future - ensuring the Games remain relevant, impactful and viable for the next century."
India's federal government on Wednesday gave the go-ahead to sign the Host Collaboration Agreement (HCA) along with the required guarantees from ministries concerned.
Singh, also a member of the sports committee of Commonwealth Sport, called it a "proud moment", which took India closer to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "vision of bringing the Olympic Games 2036 to India."
"Successfully hosting the Commonwealth Games will demonstrate our nation's capability, strengthen our international credibility and lay the foundation for the Olympic journey ahead," Singh added.
Canada and Nigeria are also in the running and the host city for the 2030 Games will be announced at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow in November.
The multi-sports gathering of mainly former British colonies has struggled to find takers in recent years.
Scotland's Glasgow will host a pared-down version of the Games next year after the Australian state of Victoria, the original host, pulled out citing escalating costs.
The 2022 Games was shifted to Birmingham after the South African city of Durban withdrew due to financial issues.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
