India Shines at Asian Games 2026: A Historic Medal Haul
Prime Minister Modi Celebrates Indian Athletes
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Indian athletes and medalists from the Asian Games 2026, commending their unwavering determination, enthusiasm, and sportsmanship.
He emphasized that their achievements should serve as motivation for future successes and play a crucial role in enhancing sports at the grassroots level.
India concluded its journey at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya with an impressive total of 85 medals. Notably, the nation achieved a remarkable clean sweep of gold medals in cricket, kabaddi, and hockey, marking the highlights of a campaign filled with record-setting performances and historic individual victories.
As the Asian Games 2026 came to an end, PM Modi expressed his admiration for every member of the Indian team for their spirited representation of the country. He congratulated all medal winners, whose outstanding performances have brought immense pride to the nation. He hopes these Games will inspire even greater accomplishments in the future and contribute to the development of sports at the grassroots level.
India secured the fourth position in the overall medal tally, achieving 21 gold, 27 silver, and 37 bronze medals. China led the Games with a staggering 341 medals, including 169 gold, while Japan and South Korea followed with 269 and 150 medals, respectively.
Although India's 85 medals fell short of the record 106 medals, including 28 gold, achieved at the Hangzhou Games in 2023, the campaign was marked by several significant milestones across various sports.
The standout success came in team sports, where India participated in both men's and women's events in cricket, kabaddi, and hockey, clinching gold medals in all six competitions.
In cricket, India celebrated a golden double, with the women's team claiming the title before the men's team triumphed over arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs in the final.
The men's team, bolstered by key performances from Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, and Axar Patel, added gold to the women's team's impressive 147-run victory against Sri Lanka.
Kabaddi also saw India achieve a clean sweep. The women's team narrowly defeated Iran 37-34 to defend their title, while the men's team rallied to win 40-34 against Iran.
This victory marked the men's team's ninth gold in ten editions since kabaddi became a men's team sport at the Asian Games in 1990, with the only exception being a bronze in 2018. The women's team has maintained its dominance since kabaddi was introduced to the women's program in 2010.
Hockey completed India's clean sweep in team sports. The women's team ended a 44-year wait for an Asian Games medal by defeating China 1-0 in the final, with Lalremsiami scoring the crucial goal in the 10th minute.
This victory marked India's first women's hockey gold at the Asian Games since 1982.
The men's team followed suit with a decisive 5-1 victory over Malaysia in the final, successfully defending their Asian Games title. This win marked India's fifth men's hockey gold, following victories in 1966, 1998, 2014, and 2022, and it was the first time both the men's and women's hockey teams won gold in the same edition.
With these victories, both the men's and women's hockey teams have secured their spots for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.