India's Performance at Asian Games 2026
India achieved significant success at the 20th Asian Games held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026, winning a total of 85 medals including 21 gold medals. The country fielded one of its largest-ever multi-sport delegations with 501 athletes across 36 sporting disciplines, with more than 300 athletes making their Asian Games debut.
Medal Performance Breakdown
India's gold medal tally was led by archery with 5 gold medals, followed by shooting and boxing with 3 gold medals each. Wrestling contributed 2 gold medals, while athletics and golf each added 1 gold medal. In team sports, India secured double gold victories in cricket, hockey, and kabaddi. The men's cricket team defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the final, while the men's hockey team retained their continental title with a 5-1 victory over Malaysia.
The complete medal tally shows India won 21 gold, 27 silver, and 37 bronze medals. Athletics contributed the most total medals (24), followed by shooting (15), archery (9), boxing (6), and wrestling (6). Other sports including squash, sailing, weightlifting, wushu, badminton, kurash, mixed martial arts, rowing, sepak takraw, soft tennis, and table tennis also contributed medals to India's total.
Government Sports Investment and Policy
The Union Budget 2026-27 allocated a record ₹4,479.88 crore to the sports ministry, significantly increased from ₹1,219 crore in 2013-14. The Cabinet approved a revamped Khelo India scheme for 2026-27 to 2030-31 with a combined outlay of ₹36,441 crore including support to National Sports Federations. For 2026-27 alone, Khelo India received ₹924.35 crore, compared to the previous allocation of ₹3,790.50 crore for 2021-22 to 2025-26. An additional ₹500 crore was earmarked for sports goods manufacturing.
Sports Development Infrastructure
By July 2026, the Khelo India program had established 1,067 Khelo India Centres and approved 349 new sports infrastructure projects worth ₹3,176 crore. The program supports 2,745 Khelo India Athletes with coaching, equipment, medical care, and monthly allowances. More than 63,000 athletes have competed in the Khelo India Games since 2018. The Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI) initiative operates 174 Talent Assessment Centres to identify talent among children aged 9 to 18 years.
The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) supports athletes through foreign training, international competitions, coaching camps, and specialized equipment. As of April 2026, TOPS supports 55 Core Athletes, 62 Para Core Athletes, 140 Development Athletes, and 67 core hockey athletes. Athletes receive a monthly stipend of ₹50,000, while junior athletes in the Development Group receive ₹25,000 monthly.
Future Participation and Historical Context
India will participate in the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games from October 18 to October 24, 2026, marking India's fifth appearance at the Asian Para Games. This follows India's record 111-medal haul including 29 gold medals at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games, where female athletes contributed 40 medals (36% of the medal tally). India previously won 14 medals in 2010, 33 in 2014, and 72 in 2018 editions.
The government launched Khelo Bharat Niti, India's national sports policy, on July 1, 2025, focusing on building a strong, inclusive, and performance-driven sports system with sights set on excellence at the 2036 Olympics. The policy links sports with school education under the National Education Policy 2020 and supports women, tribal communities, and persons with disabilities.