Motorsport needs PPPs for a long drive in India: Executives
show immense promise but require strong
public-private partnerships
(PPP) for sustainable growth, industry executives said, citing the Uttar Pradesh government's deal to host
MotoGP
as a positive step.
Despite having hosted marquee events like
Formula One
(F1) and MotoGP in the past, regulatory and taxation challenges led to F1's exit from the country. Both F1 and MotoGP have over 50 million fans in India.
Industry executives added motorsport holds the potential to boost tourism, generate employment and drive infrastructure development. However, they cautioned that without supportive policies and active government backing, this potential will remain untapped.
"We see a fully structured and inclusive motorsport ecosystem getting built out in India, which definitely needs a two-way partnership-government putting in, private sectors coming in-with support through policy frameworks, funding, and a strong emphasis on the educational threshold that's needed," said Anshuman Singhania, MD,
JK Tyre
& Industries.
He added that an equally critical factor is how the sport gains popularity and how people begin to view it as a viable career path. Narain Karthikeyan, India's first F1 racer, was a JK Tyre prodigy.
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"JK Tyre will continue to invest in people and technology to make India a global motorsport hub," he said, noting that up to 15% of the company's annual marketing budget is allocated to motorsport.
"Over the past decade, JK Motorsport has invested approximately '200 crore in the development of motorsport-ranging from infrastructure creation and support for both emerging and established talent, to building intellectual properties, collaborating with existing events, and more," he noted.
Vicky Chandhok, vice-president of Madras Motor Sports Club and former president of FMSCI, said red tape and tax-related issues had forced F1 to exit India due to lack of government support. However, he said that the UP government's backing to keep MotoGP in the state has raised hopes.
"Today, we often say that India is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world-and rightly so. But if we truly believe that, we must embrace Formula 1 and MotoGP. These are among the most technologically advanced sports globally, and many corporates are keen to partner with such events-even if it's just for a single India round," Chandhok said.
He noted that F1 and MotoGP, being globally popular sports with billions of viewers, can deliver significant economic value to the country and help build Brand India.
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