Basketball Australia and the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in player development, coaching, sports governance and high-performance sport, adding momentum to the growing Australia-India sporting partnership.
The agreement was formalised by BFI president and Tamil Nadu minister for PWD and Highways, Aadhav Arjuna, and Basketball Australia CEO Matt Scriven. It envisages development pathways for athletes, coaches and referees through knowledge exchange, friendly competitions, exposure visits and community engagement.
The partnership is part of the broader Australia-India Roadmap for Sports Collaboration announced by PM Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart during his visit to Australia in July 2026.
The roadmap envisages cooperation in high-performance sport, sports science, para sports, coach development, women's participation and major sporting events.
Australian Consul-General in Chennai, Silai Zaki, said Tamil Nadu had emerged as an important partner for Australia in sport, adding that both countries were keen to deepen cooperation in athlete development, administration, governance and innovation.
The Australian Government has also extended its engagement through the Australia Awards Australian Professional Opportunities programme, which will enable Indian sports administrators and policymakers to study Australia's sporting ecosystem.
The partnership will receive a high-profile showcase on December 12, when the opening match of the Men's Big Bash League (BBL) will be played at Chennai's M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. This will be the first time a regular-season BBL match is being staged outside Australia.
With Ahmedabad hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games and Brisbane preparing for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the two countries are looking to translate sporting exchanges into long-term institutional partnerships.
