NEWS DELHI: India Pakistan bilateral series remain suspended despite New Delhi allowing Pakistani athletes to participate in international sporting events hosted in India, according to a new policy announced by the Indian Ministry of Sports..
This was disclosed by the Indian Ministry of Sports through a memorandum. This move will permit Pakistani players to take part in international and multilateral games that take place in India.
India Pakistan Bilateral Series Remain Suspended
The ministry said Pakistani players and officials can take part in global and continental sporting events in India. The participation will follow international sports regulations.. The Indian government assured to ease the visa process for the participants of such tournaments.
The ministry also said it will issue multiple-entry visas to officials linked with international sports governing bodies. The move will help them attend tournaments and meetings in India more easily.
“Speaking about multilateral events that are held either in India or outside, our policy will depend upon the policies of international sports organizations and what is good for our sportspersons,” it was stated in the memorandum.
In line with its efforts to make itself stronger in sports diplomacy at the international level, India has taken up this new attitude. There are several international sporting events for which New Delhi is making bids such as the Olympics of 2036 and the Asian Games of 2038. These games will be held in Ahmedabad.
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As stated by sports analyst, India’s attitude in making Pakistan a part of multilateral sports activities signifies the country’s desire to be seen as a politically neutral host in international sports tournaments.
Although India softened its stand regarding international sports events, the country was not willing to entertain bilateral sports ties with Pakistan.
In so far as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. “We won’t be allowing any teams from Pakistan to come and play in India,” the minister added.
Relations between the two South Asian rivals remain tense after last year’s military clash brought the region close to a full-scale war.
The most popular game in the area is cricket, but it has been badly affected by the tensions prevailing between India and Pakistan. The last time India played a bilateral match against Pakistan was during 2012-13, and now both teams play only in ICC and ACC matches at neutral locations.
India had earlier hosted ICC Men’s T20 World Cup along with other countries. However, all matches of Pakistan were held in Sri Lanka, which included the eagerly anticipated match of India against Pakistan.
However, the lack of bilateral matches costs the game of cricket immensely since the games of India versus Pakistan are one of the most watched cricket matches in the world.
On the other hand, according to experts in the sports sector, such a policy will help prevent the isolation of players from both countries and also make India comply with its responsibilities as per international sports rules before the Olympics.
