In a significant development for Indian football, All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey announced that the federation is actively working on policies to integrate Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) players into the national team setup. Describing the move as a potential “game-changer”, Chaubey believes it could address the nation’s long-standing striker crisis.
India’s dependence on 40-year-old Sunil Chhetri, who recently came out of retirement to score in a 3-0 victory over Maldives, underlined the lack of a reliable successor in attack. The win was India’s first in 489 days, highlighting the pressing need for quality forwards.
“We are making efforts to create a policy framework that allows us to utilise the talent of overseas Indian-origin players,” Chaubey told PTI at the Khelo India Para Games 2025. “Many countries have done this successfully, and it could be a game-changer for us. Until we establish clear guidelines, our selection will continue under existing rules.”
Several nations, including Brazil, France, the United States, and Australia, recognise dual citizenship, enabling OCI players to represent their national teams. However, India does not permit dual citizenship. For an OCI player to represent India, they would need to renounce their current citizenship and obtain Indian citizenship, as was the case with Japanese-origin footballer Izumi Arata in 2013.
Chaubey also emphasised the need for a long-term plan to develop Indian strikers, particularly in the No. 9 and No. 10 positions. He pointed out that the preference for foreign forwards in Indian Super League (ISL) clubs has hindered the growth of local talent.
“At present, we rely heavily on Sunil Chhetri during crucial moments,” said Chaubey. “The question remains — who will replace him? Our aim is to create better pathways for Indian players.”