Defence Minister Rajnath Singh felicitated athletes from the Indian defence forces for their record performance at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan on October 12, 2026. The Services athletes won a total of 27 medals comprising 6 gold, 11 silver, and 10 bronze, contributing significantly to India's overall fourth-place finish with 85 medals (21 gold, 27 silver, 37 bronze). This represented 32% of India's total medal tally and 28.57% of the gold medals.
Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi and Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth were also present at the New Delhi event. The Defence Minister attributed the athletes' success to discipline, hard work, team spirit, and sporting excellence, while acknowledging the challenges of balancing unit duties with sports preparations. He highlighted the pivotal role of the Mission Olympic Wing in identifying talent, providing scientific training, world-class facilities, and preparing athletes for international competitions.
The government reiterated its commitment to strengthening India's sporting ecosystem with sustained focus on infrastructure, modern training facilities, and better opportunities for athletes, with the objective of establishing India as a leading power in the global sporting arena. Notable individual performances included Naib Subedar Neeru Dhanda who became the first Indian woman to win gold in individual Women's Trap event, Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh who became the first Indian male track-and-field athlete to win three individual medals, Havildar Sawan Barwal who set a national record in marathon, and Naib Subedar Sarvesh Kushare who ended a 56-year medal drought in Men's High Jump.
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