Pakistan's hockey team will be allowed to compete in next month’s Asia Cup in India, according to a sports ministry source. The Asia Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Rajgir, Bihar, from August 27 to September 7, 2025, will feature multiple nations, and Pakistan will be permitted to participate, as there are no objections to their involvement in a multi-national competition.

The source explained that India does not oppose any team’s participation in multi-national events but emphasized that bilateral competitions are a separate issue. "International sports demands that we cannot back out from competing. Russia and Ukraine are at war, but they show up at multi-national events," the official added, underscoring the importance of maintaining sports diplomacy even amidst geopolitical tensions.

This development comes amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly after the Pahalgam attack in April 2025, which led to the loss of 26 lives. Relations between the two countries worsened following this incident, with India launching Operation Sindoor in May 2025 and subsequent drone attacks. Additionally, several Pakistan-based YouTube channels and social media accounts were banned in India. If the Pakistan hockey team indeed arrives for the Asia Cup, it will mark one of the first sporting delegations from across the border to visit India since the escalation of tensions due to Operation Sindoor.

Sources from Hockey India have confirmed that permission was sought for both the Asia Cup and the Junior World Cup to allow Pakistan’s teams to compete on Indian soil, signaling a continued commitment to international sporting events despite political challenges. This decision will be seen as a step towards maintaining the integrity of sports as a unifying factor, regardless of political situations.