India Open to Move to Guwahati for 2028 Edition, Returning to Delhi in 2029
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) will host the 2028 edition of the India Open at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati instead of New Delhi, as announced by BAI secretary general Sanjay Mishra on Sunday. The decision marks a one-year shift for the tournament, which will return to the national capital in 2029. The 2027 edition is scheduled to be held in Delhi from February 2-7, as reported by The New Indian Express.
The move is attributed to a scheduling clash with Republic Day celebrations in Delhi. Mishra explained, "The 2028 India Open will be held in the last week of January, and due to the tournament dates clashing with Republic Day security arrangements in the National capital. We felt that only for that year, we should shift the tournament to Guwahati. It will return to New Delhi in 2029," as quoted by the Lokmat Times. The New Indian Express quoted him further: "The 2027 edition of India will be held in New Delhi but the 2028 edition, we'll shift it to Guwahati. The dates (25 January to 30), the period then, because of January 26, it comes slightly tough for players. It becomes tough for practice and for the tournament."
Guwahati's National Centre of Excellence is a proven venue, having hosted the World Junior Championships in the past year, as noted by The New Indian Express. The tournament will return to New Delhi in 2029, according to both reports.
Mishra also reflected on the recent World Championship held in New Delhi, expressing satisfaction with the praise the BAI received from Badminton World Federation (BWF) members for hosting the 2026 event. The Lokmat Times reports that Mishra said, "Yes, we have done it. So, we have taken care of all the players," in response to a query from IANS. Addressing past criticism of playing conditions at the India Open, Mishra invoked the example of Danish shuttler Mia Blichfeldt, who had criticized the conditions for two consecutive years, "The biggest example is Mia Blichfeldt, who was negative last time. She was the first one to tweet and appreciate our efforts this time. And all the players, not only players, officials and BWF members, all of them appreciated it."
On player performance at events, Mishra remarked, "To think that we can win at every tournament is unrealistic. Our players have shown that they can beat any player on their day. In this event, maybe some of our players couldn't perform, but they'll bounce back in the next tournament."
While both reports confirm the date clash and the relocation, only The New Indian Express specifies the exact dates for the 2028 edition (January 25-30) and notes that the tournament returns to Delhi in 2029-30, whereas Lokmat Times focuses on Mishra's statements and the praise for the World Championship arrangements. The move to Guwahati for one year, as described, does not affect the 2029 edition in Delhi.
Despite the change in venue, no mention of an official venue name other than the National Centre of Excellence was provided by either The New Indian Express or Lokmat Times. The reasons for the pause—specifically the clash with Republic Day—are consistent across both reports, with Mishra's direct quotes serving as the primary authorities.
The National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, which hosted the World Junior Championships last year, is confirmed as the 2028 venue, per The New Indian Express. The tournament will return to New Delhi in 2029, as both sources agree.