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NEW DELHI, Aug 27, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - India said on Wednesday that the city 
of Ahmedabad is an "ideal" location for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, with its 
bid viewed as part of a wider push by the cricket-mad nation to host the 2036 
Olympics.

Ahmedabad is the key city in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of 
Gujarat, home to a 130,000-seater arena, the world's biggest cricket stadium 
and named after the premier.

Modi's cabinet approved India's bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games on 
Wednesday. India submitted a formal letter of intent last year to the 
International Olympic Committee to host the 2036 Games.

"Ahmedabad is an ideal host city offering world-class stadiums, cutting-edge 
training facilities, and a passionate sporting culture," a cabinet statement 
read.

"Narendra Modi Stadium, the largest stadium in the world, has already 
demonstrated its capability by successfully hosting the 2023 ICC Cricket 
World Cup Final," it said.

Nigeria and at least two other nations have reportedly expressed interest in 
hosting the Commonwealth Games, which struggled to find a replacement host 
for 2026 after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew, citing costs.

The British city of Glasgow stepped in and will stage a slimmed-down version.

The decision on the 2030 host will be made in November.

India said that if it wins the bid, the Commonwealth Games would be a "full-
fledged" event.

That would include tag-type sports such as kabaddi and kho kho, which India 
is pushing to be included in the Olympics.

India has a population of 1.4 billion but its record at the Olympics is poor 
for a country of its size, winning only 10 gold medals in its history.