India, Sept. 7 -- India has agreed in principle to participate in the 2027 South Asian Games in Pakistan, according to the Pakistan Olympic Association, potentially paving the way for a sizeable Indian sporting contingent to travel across the border next year. Pakistan Olympic Association Secretary General Khalid Mehmood said India had accepted the invitation at the regional Olympic level and was expected to provide details of its contingent in January 2027. The Games are scheduled to be staged across Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar in April.

The development is significant given the strained sporting relationship between India and Pakistan, with bilateral travel between the two countries becoming increasingly rare. However, an agreement a...