India is set to secure its first Olympics sponsorship, highlighting the country's growing influence on Olympics

Currently, the IOC boasts 15 top-tier partners who contributed nearly $740 million last year in cash and services, none of whom are from India.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is poised to welcome an Indian sponsor soon, reflecting the nation's rising prominence in the Olympic arena as it prepares to bid for the 2036 Summer Games, as mentioned in a report by Economic Times.

Currently, the IOC boasts 15 top-tier partners who contributed nearly $740 million last year in cash and services, none of whom are from India. During an IOC annual meeting in Mumbai last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the country’s intention to bid for the 2036 Games. The 111 IOC members include Nita Ambani, the wife of Mukesh Ambani, head of Reliance Industries.

Anne-Sophie Voumard, the IOC's marketing director said, "We would love to welcome a first new TOP sponsor from India and I am sure that this is going to happen very, very soon. For us, it is certainly a country that we believe has a lot of potential, including on commercial. Its GDP is increasing and developing really, really nicely."

The IOC has at least one sponsorship deal concluding this year with Japanese automaker Toyota, and several others are up for renewal. For the past 40 years, Olympic sponsorship has predominantly involved companies from the United States and Japan. This year, two additional Japanese sponsors, Bridgestone and Panasonic, have their IOC agreements expiring.

There is also anticipated interest from Qatar, which aims to host the 2036 Olympics in Doha, and Saudi Arabia, which recently secured a 12-year deal to host the Esport Olympic Games.

New sponsorships will kick off with the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and northern Italy’s ski resorts, followed by the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The Olympic hosts leading up to the 2036 edition include the French Alps in 2030, Brisbane, Australia in 2032, and Salt Lake City in 2034.

The IOC has not established a specific timeline for selecting the host of the 2036 Summer Games. The updated process allows Olympic leaders to choose a preferred candidate at any time, with exclusive negotiations potentially leading to a confirmatory vote by IOC members without competing bids.