NEW DELHI: The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) and the Shooting League of India (SLI) have undertaken a strategic realignment of the leagueโs inaugural season, with the event now scheduled for later this year.
This move is designed to strengthen the leagueโs long-term positioning, broadcast impact, and overall fan experience. It will also position the league as the ultimate celebration of Indian shooting, capitalising on the massive sporting momentum expected from the major international events in 2026 and beyond, as per a NRAI press release.
The inaugural season was initially supposed to take place from February 16 to 26 in Delhi with the worldโs best shooters playing with and against each other in a franchise-based model. The decision has been taken after detailed consultations with key stakeholders, including broadcast partners and franchises.
โ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐บ ๐ฌ๐ช๐ฅ๐ด ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ. ๐๐ฆ๐ธ ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ต ๐ค๐ข๐ฏ ๐ต๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ.โ
Jitu Rai shares how Shooting League of India will redefine what shooting means across India.#SLITakesAim #ShootingSports pic.twitter.com/nkFlMhaQOM
โ Shooting League Of India (@SLI_Live) January 21, 2026
The revised schedule will also enable the league to align more closely with the international shooting calendar, as the previously scheduled launch would have preceded the yearโs major multi-sport events, including the Asian Games, where Indian shooters are expected to contend for top honours.
The league is also using this phase to further refine its production capabilities. As Indiaโs first franchise shooting league, SLI is introducing advanced broadcast technologies that have not been deployed in India for this sport. The SLI is collaborating with expert third-party partners to perfect the broadcast product, ensuring a seamless, world-class experience.
Additionally, the league is working closely with state associations to โbroad-baseโ the sport, ensuring talent and infrastructure are included from across the country. Also, the additional time allows franchises to roll out structured city activations, school outreach programmes, community events, and supporter clubs to build a solid fanbase even before the SLI begins.
NRAI president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said, โOur priority is to give our athletes the biggest stage possible. By realigning the season, we are creating a dedicated window where the Shooting League of India gets the maximum eyeballs on television. This shift allows us to welcome our shooters back from key events as stars, giving them the spotlight they deserve while ensuring the league product is technically perfectโ.
โAlso, this additional preparation period enables us to move from alpha testing to broadcast perfection. Our objective is to deliver a flawless, world-class viewer experience from the very first shotโ, he added.
NRAI secretary general Pawankumar Singh stated, โWe are taking this opportunity to strengthen the leagueโs foundation. We are actively engaging with state stakeholders to ensure the SLI benefits the sport at the grassroots level. At the same time, we are working with technical experts to refine the last few elements so that we build a sustainable, high-quality ecosystem that entertains fans for years to comeโ. (ANI)
