India has officially submitted a 'Letter of Intent' to the Future Host Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), expressing New Delhi's interest in hosting the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This development, reported by ANI on Tuesday, was confirmed by sources within the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The letter was reportedly sent on October 1, marking a significant step in India's aspirations to host the prestigious global event. Interest in this bid has been building since the Paris Olympics in August, where Nita Ambani, India’s representative to the IOC, voiced optimism by stating, “the day is not far when India will host the Olympic Games.”

Following Ambani’s statement, excitement grew across India about the possibility of hosting the Olympics, though some voiced concerns. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram notably criticised the idea, calling it a "colossal disaster for India as a country." Chidambaram argued that India should prioritise supporting its athletes with proper resources rather than focusing on hosting the Games.

In addition to India, several countries, including Egypt, England, Indonesia, and Qatar, have shown interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics. Olympic officials confirmed in mid-October that discussions are underway with 10 potential candidates for the bid.

The process of awarding Olympic hosting rights is largely confidential and overseen by Olympic officials. Brisbane was selected as the host city for the 2032 Games a full 11 years ahead of time, amid controversy due to French-led investigations into alleged vote-rigging. Accusations of vote-buying had previously emerged in the bidding processes for the 2016 and 2020 Games, which saw Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo selected as host cities, respectively.