BAI plans Asian exchange programme to strengthen junior badminton pipeline

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is set to launch an exchange programme with leading Asian badminton nations to sharpen the skills of India’s junior shuttlers and accelerate their transition to the elite level.

BAI secretary general Sanjay Mishra said discussions have already been held with traditional powerhouses such as Indonesia , Malaysia and Thailand . The proposed initiative will allow Indian junior players to train in these countries, while young players from those nations will also visit India for joint training camps.

“We have spoken to our Asian counterparts about an exchange programme under which our junior shuttlers can travel to their countries, and they can also come here for training sessions,” Mishra said. He added that the association hopes to roll out the programme within the next one or two months, now that the India Open has concluded.

Under the arrangement, the host country will bear the costs of accommodation, food, transport and local logistics, while the travelling contingent will cover their flight expenses.

The move comes amid growing calls to provide Indian juniors with greater international exposure, particularly in doubles. Former India coach and Dronacharya awardee Vimal Kumar has advocated bilateral series and Test-match style competitions against Asian nations to raise competitive standards. While such formats may not be feasible immediately, BAI believes structured training exchanges can deliver tangible benefits.

“Organising Test matches or bilateral series across multiple cities is difficult at this point,” Mishra said. “But training sessions involving 10 to 15 juniors travelling to top badminton nations will help them improve and shed any mental barriers while facing these opponents.”

Indian junior badminton has shown encouraging signs of progress in recent years. The country achieved a historic breakthrough at the BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships last year by winning its first-ever bronze medal. Rising star Tanvi Sharma further underlined this growth with a silver medal at the BWF World Junior Championships and competitive performances against top international players, including a win over former world champion Nozomi Okuhara at the Syed Modi International.

BAI hopes the exchange programme will build on this momentum and help create a deeper, more competitive talent pool capable of matching Asia’s best in the years ahead.