India's government is working to bring Formula One racing back to the country by 2028 [1].
The effort represents a significant bid to revive international motorsport in a region where the race was dropped more than 10 years ago [1]. Bringing the sport back would signal a shift in the country's regulatory environment and a desire to attract high-profile global sporting events.
The Sports Ministry is leading the initiative, with the Sports Minister moving to establish a dedicated task force [3]. This group is charged with addressing the specific tax and regulatory hurdles that previously made hosting the event untenable. By streamlining these requirements, the government aims to create a sustainable framework for the sport's revival [2].
Officials have identified the Buddh International Circuit on the outskirts of New Delhi as the venue for the return [2]. The facility was designed specifically for the sport but has remained largely unused for top-tier international competition since the F1 calendar removed the Indian Grand Prix.
The process involves coordinating between government agencies and Formula One officials to ensure the circuit meets current technical standards. The task force will focus on the financial logistics, and legal frameworks necessary to secure a long-term agreement with the racing series [3].
While the target year is 2028 [1], the timeline depends on the speed of the regulatory reforms. The government is prioritizing the removal of bureaucratic bottlenecks to make the Buddh International Circuit an attractive option for the sport's global promoters [2].
“India's government is working to bring Formula One racing back to the country by 2028.”
The push to revive the Indian Grand Prix suggests that New Delhi is prioritizing the 'sportswashing' of its regulatory image by removing the tax barriers that historically deterred global promoters. Success in 2028 would not only reintegrate India into the global motorsport circuit but also serve as a test case for the government's ability to modernize its bureaucratic approach to attract major international commercial investments.
