The KBR in Asia where community came first

In Sri Lanka, those values were tested most clearly. Planned Relay activity was repurposed following Cyclone Ditwah on 27 November, with resources directed to support affected communities, placing humanitarian need ahead of ceremony. 

From Malaysia, where the Asia leg began on 30 October, through Brunei Darussalam, India and Singapore, and onward to the Maldives, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the Relay was defined by participation rather than spectacle. Each destination reflected its own priorities, yet common threads emerged through youth engagement, community involvement and environmental responsibility. 

Sport provided a natural point of connection across the region. In Malaysia, students from sports schools joined former national athletes at a central gathering to mark the opening of the Asia journey. In Brunei Darussalam, a city relay through Bandar Seri Begawan unfolded along public streets, bringing together national athletes, people with special needs and members of the public. 

In India, the Baton moved through Delhi and Ahmedabad as part of an extended programme that blended elite sport, education and public participation, reaching schools, universities and community spaces. 

“The King’s Baton Relay embodies the values that unite the Commonwealth. It reflects how art and sport can inspire sustainability, growth and a shared commitment to a brighter, more connected future,” said India’s Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya. 

Education and creativity played a central role in how the Relay was experienced. Baton artwork across Asia told stories of national identity and heritage, from traditional motifs and marine life in the Maldives to student-designed artwork in Singapore and public participation in India. These designs became focal points for learning and discussion, helping young people connect with the purpose and values of the Relay beyond the moment itself. 

Environmental action was a consistent theme throughout the Asia leg. Coastal and river clean-ups took place in multiple locations, including Malaysia, Singapore, Maldives, Pakistan and Bangladesh, often involving athletes, volunteers and local organisations working side by side. These activities aligned with the Royal Commonwealth Society’s Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign and reflected the region’s close relationship with waterways and marine environments. 

In Pakistan and Bangladesh, that same emphasis on community was reflected through shared environmental action and public participation, with clean-ups and local engagement shaping how the Baton was experienced at each stop. 

Sri Lanka’s contribution stood apart, but no less powerfully. While the Relay did not travel through the country as planned, the Sri Lanka Baton was officially unveiled on 18 December 2025. Developed through a national Baton Design Competition involving university students from across the country, the design reflects Sri Lanka’s biodiversity, heritage and multicultural identity. The unveiling followed the redirection of all King’s Baton Relay resources toward flood relief and early recovery efforts, linking youth creativity and cultural expression with a response rooted in care and responsibility. 

The Asia journey concluded in Bangladesh on 17 December, offering a moment to reflect on the breadth of experiences across the region before the Relay continued its global journey toward Glasgow. 

Across eight nations, the King’s Baton Relay in Asia was defined by how communities chose to engage with it. Whether through sport, education, environmental action or humanitarian response, each stop contributed to a shared narrative of responsibility, inclusion and care as the Commonwealth moves into Games year.