India aims to perform better than their 2022 showing in Japan when the 20th edition of the Asian Games begins on September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya. The country has sent a strong contingent of 508 athletes across 35 sports, including 272 men and 236 women. Sahdev Yadav leads this team as Chef de Mission.
Athletics is India’s largest delegation with 79 athletes, followed by hockey (40) and shooting (30 each). The Opening Ceremony will be held on September 19 at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, while the Closing Ceremony is scheduled for October 4 at the same venue.
Defending champions in hockey, India’s men will start their campaign in the knockout stage against Group A runners-up, while the women face Japan. The Indian hockey teams hope to secure spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics by winning medals. In kabaddi, India’s teams are strong favorites, having won gold in both men’s and women’s events in 2022.
PV Sindhu leads India’s badminton team, which includes notable players like Lakshya Sen and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. Shooting is expected to bring a significant number of medals for India, as it did in 2022 when they won seven golds.
Athletics remains crucial for India, despite Neeraj Chopra’s absence due to injury. The team secured the most medals in this category in 2022. In boxing, Lovlina Borgohain leads a strong contingent following their success at the Commonwealth Games.
Weightlifting also sees fresh momentum with Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, who recently won gold at the Commonwealth Games. India’s athletes will aim to build on their achievements from previous editions and secure a successful 2026 campaign.