New Delhi: Will our sport administrators finally allow Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) to represent the country in international events? While the sports ministry is said to be looking at reversing a 2008 policy for effecting this change, there is already chatter about its benefits and the past hurdles faced in a country hungry for sporting laurels.
Notwithstanding its human capital, India’s records are less than many smaller nations but with a strong sporting culture. A case in point is India’s performance in the Olympics. In the 2024 edition, India finished with six medals with its ranking slipping from 48th spot in 2021 to 71st place.
It is not that the country did not see overseas Indian representation in sports. In the past, several athletes of Indian origin—including Prakash Amritraj, Shikha Uberoi, Sunitha Rao (tennis), Karm Kumar (squash) and Ankur Poseria (swimming)—represented India as OCI cardholders.
This came to an end in 2008, when the then sports minister, M.S. Gill, introduced a rule mandating that only Indian citizens could represent the country in international competitions.
The ministry’s 2008 circular clarified that only holders of valid Indian passports were eligible to represent the country, effectively ending the practice of OCIs playing for national teams.
The policy was challenged in court by squash player Karm Kumar, a UK-based OCI cardholder, but the Delhi High Court upheld the rule in 2010, confirming that only Indian citizens could represent the country.
Though there have been talks of relaxing rules for OCIs and PIOs, it never materialised. Meanwhile, India made progress but successes were few and far between.
The matter gained traction after a report in The Hindustan Times this month that the sports ministry was mulling reconsidering the 2008 policy, which currently permits only Indian citizens to represent the country in international sports.
India’s talent pool is so dry that the team couldn’t find a replacement for the aging and retired footballer Sunil Chhetri, prompting coach Manolo Marquez to personally urge him to return for the crucial Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. Chhetri had announced his international retirement in June 2024, but with no Indian striker stepping up and goals in short supply, Marquez reached out and persuaded the veteran to make a comeback in March 2025, once again leaning on his experience and form to lift the national side.
While media reports suggest football and tennis will be key beneficiaries of the proposed policy changes, the impact will be broader. Sports like basketball, swimming and athletics are also likely to see significant growth in their talent pools, thanks to Indian-origin athletes competing abroad.
ThePrint reached out to the Sports Authority of India (SAI), which has the twin objectives of promoting sports and achieving sporting excellence at the national and international level, for comments regarding the report.
ThePrint reached an SAI representative for a comment, who said it was “too premature” to respond to these specific queries.
Meanwhile, the President of the All India Football Federation, Kalyan Chaubey, was recently quoted by The Telegraph as saying, “We have been having a series of meetings with the sports ministry for the past one and a half years. I am hopeful that we will have OCI players in the national team soon.”
“It will take some time because the process is lengthy,” added the former goalkeeper and BJP state leader.
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Indian football, the eternal sleeping giant
Currently ranked 127 in the FIFA list, India has been dubbed as a ‘sleeping giant’ of the world’s most popular sport. Foreigners have been a fixture in Indian football but assimilating foreign footballers of Indian origin in the national colours have never taken place.
Japanese-Indian player Arata Izumi, who had played club football in India since 2006, became eligible for the national team only after he renounced his Japanese citizenship and obtained an Indian passport in 2013. He has now hung his boots and ventured into coaching the game.
“In the short term, if we get the right talent, our senior team could be better by 10 to 20 percent. The women’s team might benefit even more, maybe by 30 to 40 percent. And the youth sides could see the biggest gains,” former All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary Shaji Prabhakaran told ThePrint.
Prabhakaran stressed that the benefits would depend on careful integration and selection.
“It will not be 100 percent OCIs, perhaps 30 to 40 percent of the squad. If we get the right level of talent who can fit well and integrate with the side, there will definitely be a short-term impact that could help our performances on the international stage.”
Prabhakaran clarified that, during his tenure, the AIFF’s hands were tied on the issue.
“There was nothing very structured in terms of discussion, because this is not our domain. The government and legal aspects are central. The federation cannot lead this; it’s impractical. Until there is a clear policy from the government, it’s very, very difficult to move forward,” Prabhakaran said.
But, the former football administrator cautioned against over-reliance on imported talent. “Whether OCI or not, we need to improve our national team’s performance. If our ranking improves, belief in football will grow at the grassroots, investment will rise, and interest will increase. OCI is just one part of that process. It should not be seen as a magic solution,” he said.
“We are a country of 1.4 billion people; we have enough talent. We need to do the right things from the grassroots to the top. India should focus on how we can export more talent, not just import it.”
The debate around allowing foreign-born players of Indian descent to represent the Indian national football team gained attention in March 2023, after Yan Dhanda, a 26-year-old English footballer with Indian roots, expressed his desire to play for India.
Dhanda plays as an attacking midfielder for Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premiership and has previously featured for Swansea City, Ross County, and as a youth player for West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool.
The conversation was sparked when Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand tagged the then-national team coach Igor Stimac and senior AIFF officials in a social media post, highlighting Dhanda’s impressive performances in Scotland. This public endorsement brought the issue of eligibility and willingness to the fore.
Dhanda responded positively to the prospect of representing India.
However, as Prabhakaran pointed out, there are significant legal barriers. “It would be our pleasure to welcome Yan to the India national team if he is willing to apply for an Indian passport by moving to India. His challenge would be to relinquish his current nationality, but it will be worth it as he can quickly emerge as a hero of 1.4 billion.”
India does not allow dual citizenship, meaning Dhanda would have to give up his UK passport.
Dhanda addressed this dilemma, saying, “Giving up my passport means I can’t play professionally in the UK and some European clubs, due to India’s FIFA ranking. Permitting OCI cards, similar to other countries, will allow me to represent the Indian football team as a dual national. I hope this can happen soon.”
In March, Hamza Choudhury, a 27-year-old British footballer of Bangladeshi heritage, made headlines by becoming the highest-profile player to represent a South Asian national team.
Choudhury, who won the FA Cup with Leicester City in 2021 and played for England at the Under-21 level, opted to play for Bangladesh after obtaining his Bangladeshi passport in late 2024.
His debut helped Bangladesh secure a 0-0 draw against India in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier in Shillong, showcasing the impact that having players with exposure like Hamza can have on growing teams like Bangladesh.
Another notable case is UK citizen Danny Batth, a 34-year-old centre-back of Punjabi descent, who has publicly expressed his willingness to play for India.
Batth, currently with Blackburn Rovers in the English Championship and approaching 500 professional appearances, remains eligible for India, having never played for England.
Countries like China have actively naturalised foreign players. But, India has consistently refrained from extending similar opportunities, even to those who meet FIFA’s eligibility criteria by their heritage. Brazil’s Serginho, for instance, is the latest in a line of naturalised players to represent China.
According to FIFA’s eligibility rules for representing a national team, a player must have a valid passport of the country they wish to represent. Also, those who haven’t played for a senior national team can choose any country they’re eligible for.
As an English citizen of Indian descent who hasn’t played for England’s national team, Danny Batth might be eligible to represent India if the OCI policy is changed.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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