India could be on the verge of opening a new pathway to overseas-born footballers, and the potential arrival of British Indian talent could give the Blue Tigers a significant boost.

The All India Football Federation has set up a task force to assess the status of players of Indian origin who could represent the national team, with former Mumbai City FC chief operating officer Arunava Chaudhuri claiming that four or five British Indian players could make the squad. He believes two or three could potentially go straight into the starting XI.

Among the names attracting attention are Dilan Markanday, Yan Dhanda and Brandon Khela – three players who have developed within the English football system and could offer India a different level of experience if eligibility rules are eventually changed.

Dilan Markanday

Dilan Markanday is perhaps the most direct attacking option of the three.

The English-born winger of Indian descent currently plays for Chesterfield in EFL League Two, having come through the Tottenham Hotspur academy before moving on to Blackburn Rovers and eventually Chesterfield.

Markanday is a left-footed right winger, giving India the possibility of adding a naturally left-footed attacker capable of operating from the right side.

His name has also generated considerable interest among Indian supporters in recent months, particularly amid the wider discussion around overseas Indian-origin players becoming eligible for the national team.

Markanday was recently spotted in the stands at The Valley in London supporting India during their Unity Cup match against Jamaica, adding another layer to the speculation surrounding his international future.

However, there is currently no switch to India. The major obstacle remains eligibility. India’s citizenship rules do not allow dual citizenship, meaning an overseas player would have to navigate the country’s citizenship requirements before being able to represent the Blue Tigers.

For India, Markanday would represent something the team has often lacked: another attacking option developed in the English professional system.

Yan Dhanda

If India are looking for creativity and technical quality, Yan Dhanda could be one of the most intriguing names available.

The midfielder of Indian descent has already spent much of his career in the English and Scottish systems and currently plays for Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

Dhanda has also been open about his desire to represent India, making him a particularly interesting case as the AIFF examines a potential pathway for diaspora footballers.

His career has included a memorable beginning at Swansea City.

Dhanda made his professional debut against Sheffield United in 2018 at just 19, coming off the bench and scoring only 30 seconds later with his first touch in professional football. He later recalled how he had spent the night before imagining exactly that scenario.

“I just hit it and then it was a mad blur,” Dhanda recalled, with his father and cousin watching from behind the goal.

That experience is part of what makes Dhanda an appealing proposition for India. He has been exposed to a professional environment in Britain from a young age and has experience playing in competitive European football.

His case, however, remains tied to the same citizenship issue affecting other overseas Indian players. Current rules prevent Indian-heritage footballers abroad from representing the national side unless they surrender their overseas passport.

If that pathway changes, Dhanda could become one of the more experienced diaspora players available to India.

Brandon Khela

Brandon Khela represents a younger option with considerable room to develop.

Born in Coventry in 2005, the midfielder became the first British South Asian player to sign a professional contract with Birmingham City. He has also represented England at youth level, including the Under-17s.

Khela subsequently gained senior experience through loan spells before moving to Peterborough United in League One.

That background makes him an interesting long-term prospect for India rather than simply an immediate addition.

Khela has developed within the English academy system and has already made the transition into senior football. For a national team attempting to broaden its talent pool, that combination could be particularly valuable.

His Indian heritage has made him a player Indian supporters have followed closely, but, like Markanday and Dhanda, he has not represented the Blue Tigers.

There has also been reported interest from Malaysia, highlighting the wider competition for players with South Asian heritage who may have more than one potential international pathway.

Why these three could matter for India

The significance of Markanday, Dhanda and Khela is not simply that they are British-born players of Indian heritage.

It is that they have been developed in a football environment that can offer a different level of technical, tactical and physical preparation.

Chaudhuri believes the impact could be immediate.

“If I look at the British Indians, I think there are four or five of them who could potentially get into the squad. Two or three of them most probably into the starting XI,” he said.

“And I think they could make a massive difference. I think there are boys who can make India better. I think it’s a win-win situation for both the player and for India as a footballing nation.”

That is ultimately the argument behind India’s growing interest in the diaspora.

Markanday could add another attacking outlet from the wing. Dhanda could bring creativity and experience in midfield. Khela represents a younger player who could potentially develop into a long-term international option.

And with Indian football chiefs increasingly confident that a pathway for overseas players can be cleared, the question may no longer be whether British Indians can help India – but how quickly they can become part of the Blue Tigers’ next generation.