India at Asian Games 2026
India finished the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games fourth on the medal table with 85 medals-21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.
The Indian contingent and sports fans had plenty to celebrate, with India winning all six gold medals across men’s and women’s cricket, hockey, and kabaddi. The Games also brought direct qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics in women’s cricket, men’s and women’s hockey and archery.
Looking beyond the medal tally, some of India’s most memorable moments came from its women. Records that had stood for decades were broken, multiple firsts were achieved, and young athletes announced themselves on one of the biggest stages.
Historic firsts across the Games
Archery emerged as India’s biggest success story in Nagoya, with nine medals – five gold, two silver and two bronze across the recurve and compound events.
Among them was a historic gold from Ankita Bhakat, Kumkum Mohod and Kirti Sharma in the women’s recurve team event. It was India’s first Asian Games title in the event, and it came against a South Korean team that had won seven consecutive gold medals.
For 17-year-old Kumkum, that was only the beginning. After adding another medal in the mixed event, she became the first Indian woman to win the individual recurve title at the Asian Games. Her path to gold included wins over the reigning world champion and Tokyo Olympics Gold medallist from South Korea in the quarterfinals, a World Championship medallist in the semifinals, and another South Korean opponent in the final.ndia Asian Games 2026
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The athletics track also added multiple medals to India’s tally. The star performer being Vithya Ramraj, who left Nagoya with a complete collection of medals- gold alongside Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma and Prachi Choudhary in the women’s 4x400m relay, silver in the mixed relay and bronze in the 400m hurdles. The bronze came with an even bigger milestone as Ramraj clocked 54.75 seconds to break P.T. Usha’s national record, which had stood for 42 years.
In shooting, Neeru Dhanda emerged as one of the country’s standout performers in trap. She won two gold medals and a team silver, becoming India’s first-ever woman individual medallist in trap shooting at the Asian Games. She was later named as India’s flag bearer for the closing ceremony.
India’s established names also added to their legacies with Lovlina Borgohain becoming only the second Indian woman after Mary Kom to win Asian Games boxing gold, while Mirabai Chanu added a silver in weightlifting, filling what she described as the only missing gap in her medal cabinet.
Towards the end of the Games, India claimed another first, this time in golf, as Pranavi Urs created history.
From Australian courses to Asian Games history
A few months before making history in Nagoya, Pranavi Urs competed on Australian golf courses as part of the Ladies European Tour’s Australian swing, playing the Women’s NSW Open, Australian Women’s Classic and Women’s Australian Open. However, her connection to Australia goes beyond competing Down Under, with Australian golf coach Steven Guiliano having coached and guided her development for several years.
In Nagoya, Pranavi became the first Indian woman to win individual Asian Games golf gold, while along with Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok, she took silver in the women’s team event. Diksha had also competed in the Australian swing, finishing fifth at the Australian Women’s Classic.
From Perth to ending a 44-year wait
In May 2026, India’s women’s hockey team travelled to Perth for a four-match series against the Hockeyroos, which ended in a draw. The touring squad consisted of players who later played important roles at the Asian Games, including Savita Punia, Lalremsiami, Sushila Chanu and Salima Tete. The series was part of a packed international year for India that also included the Nations Cup and World Cup.
A few months later, the team arrived in Japan with strong medal hopes. India had not won the Asian Games women’s hockey title since 1982, and after forty-four years, the wait finally ended. India defeated China 1-0 in the final, with Lalremsiami scoring the only goal of the match in her 200th international appearance. At the other end, Savita Punia used all her experience to save a crucial penalty stroke and keep India ahead.
The gold also brought another major reward for the team: qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
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The connection Down Under
The connection extended to India’s rowing campaign too, with Australian coach Antony Patterson part of India’s rowing setup at the Games where Satnam Singh and Salman Khan won bronze in the men’s double sculls. From golfers competing on Australian courses and the women’s hockey team facing the Hockeyroos in Perth to an Australian coach contributing to India’s rowing campaign, the connection between the two sporting nations was visible across different sports during India’s Asian Games journey.
For Indian sports fans, the 2026 Asian Games gave stories that went far beyond the medal tally. India’s 85 medals and fourth-place finish reflected a campaign of historic firsts, breakthrough performances and emerging athletes making their mark. As the focus turns to LA 2028, these experiences will form the foundation for what comes next.India Asian Games 2026
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