Naidu pitches Visakhapatnam as hub for BRICS sports network

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu greets a BRICS delegate as Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya looks on at the gala dinner held as part of the BRICS Youth & Sports Ministers’ Meeting 2026 in Visakhapatnam on Saturday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGMENT

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu addressed the cultural programme of the BRICS Youth & Sports Ministers’ Meeting 2026 in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, welcoming delegates from the 11 BRICS member countries and describing the city as a jewel on India’s eastern coast and the ‘City of Destiny’.

Mr. Naidu said Visakhapatnam was a leading city in the country for jobs and talent and ranked among the safest cities in India for women. He said the city was being developed as a maritime gateway and a technology and innovation hub, with considerable potential for water sports and sports tourism.

Sports could serve as a unifying thread among the BRICS nations despite differences in language, culture and geography, he said. Describing sports as “not just competition, but a culture and a way of life”, Mr. Naidu said yoga and meditation, alongside sports, were part of the Indian approach to addressing stress among young people. A strong society, he added, depended on healthy citizens.

The Chief Minister outlined the economic potential of sports development, saying it created employment for athletes, coaches and trainers, while sports tourism opened up opportunities for investment and the hosting of international events.

He said State-run academies and Centres of Excellence were being established as part of a comprehensive sports system. Amaravati Sports City was envisaged as the hub of a full-fledged sports ecosystem, while Nellore was being developed as a centre for the manufacture of sports equipment, apparel and technology.

Mr. Naidu said Andhra Pradesh was ready for sports partnerships with BRICS nations and proposed the establishment of a BRICS Youth and Sports Innovation Network centred on Visakhapatnam. The network, he said, could facilitate the exchange of athletes and coaches among member countries.

He invited investment in water sports, sports tourism and international sporting events, citing the State’s skilled youth, technological infrastructure and long coastline as its strengths.

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