PM Modi Meets India’s Asian Games 2026 Medalists in Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met India’s medal winners from the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Delhi on Thursday, October 15, after the contingent returned from Japan. India finished fourth at the Games with a total of 85 medals — 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.
The fourth-place finish matched India’s position at the 2023 Hangzhou Games, though the overall haul fell by 21 from the previous edition’s 106 medals. The campaign produced notable results across individual and team events, with strong returns in archery, wrestling and boxing and gold medals in hockey, cricket and kabaddi. India’s medal run accelerated late in the tournament, with a late surge in golds contributing to the final standing. The mixed outcomes across disciplines highlighted areas for review as preparations begin for future international competitions.
Archery was one of India’s most productive sports, yielding nine medals: five gold, two silver and two bronze, including significant results in the recurve women’s individual and team events. Wrestling contributed six medals in total — two gold, two silver and two bronze — while boxing added six medals, comprising three gold and three bronze. Those performances formed the core of India’s success in individual combat and precision sports.
Team sports provided several of India’s gold medals. The men’s hockey team beat Malaysia 5-1 in the final and the women’s hockey team defeated China 1-0 to secure golds. Both the men’s and women’s cricket teams won their finals, with the women overcoming Sri Lanka and the men defeating Pakistan. Kabaddi also contributed two golds, with both India’s men’s and women’s teams winning their respective finals.
Athletics was India’s largest contributor by volume, delivering 24 medals: one gold, nine silver and 14 bronze, with Gulveer Singh claiming silver in both the 10,000m and 1,500m and bronze in the 5,000m. Shooting added 15 medals — three gold, eight silver and four bronze — a decline from the 22 medals India won in shooting at Hangzhou. Together, athletics and shooting accounted for 39 of India’s 85 medals.
Other sections of the team produced mixed returns: the badminton squad did not win an individual medal despite India earning a bronze overall, and tennis finished without a medal. In weightlifting, Mirabai Chanu secured silver in the women’s 49kg category, ending India’s 28-year wait for an Asian Games medal in the sport.
The results combined landmark achievements in several sports with a reduced overall tally compared with Hangzhou, leaving specific disciplines identified for improvement. Officials and coaches will review the campaign as India prepares for upcoming international events and works to address the shortfalls revealed at Aichi-Nagoya.
