India’s 503 athletes are set to compete across 36 disciplines at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, with stars like PV Sindhu, Manu Bhaker and Mirabai Chanu leading the country’s medal hopes.
The Asian Games 2026 are set to begin in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with India entering the continental sporting spectacle with a strong and diverse squad. The 20th edition of the Asian Games will officially run from September 19 to October 4, featuring athletes from 45 countries and regions across 43 sports.
India would participate with 503 athletes – 269 men and 234 women, participating in 36 disciplines. There has been an increase in the number from 492 to 503 after further participation in some other disciplines in addition to the athletics discipline.
The sports in which India would participate include athletics, badminton, shooting, boxing, wrestling, hockey, cricket, kabaddi, archery, weightlifting, table tennis, swimming, squash, tennis, and shooting, amongst others.
Among some of the Indian players who will definitely be fighting for medals at this event is badminton and among these are PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Ayush Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and Chirag Shetty. The men's doubles team will see Satwik and Chirag being among the stars to look out for.
Shooting is another discipline where India has several established stars. Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh, Rudrankksh Patil, Elavenil Valarivan, Anish Bhanwala and Anantjeet Singh Naruka are among the athletes expected to attract attention.
Manu Bhaker will also share the honour of carrying India’s flag at the opening ceremony, highlighting her position among the country’s leading athletes.
Cricket will once again be a major attraction at the Asian Games. India’s women’s team features prominent players such as Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma. The men’s side will also feature in the competition, adding another major sporting attraction for Indian fans.
Hockey remains equally important, with both the Indian men’s and women’s teams entering the Games. The men’s team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, will look to continue India’s strong record in the sport.
India’s medal hopes also extend to wrestling, boxing and weightlifting. Aman Sehrawat and Antim Panghal are among the wrestling names to watch, while Lovlina Borgohain will spearhead India’s boxing challenge. In weightlifting, Mirabai Chanu remains one of India’s most recognised athletes.
However, the most discussed issue has been the non-participation of Neeraj Chopra owing to an injury. The participation of Neeraj Chopra will surely be missed by the team of athletics, which happens to be one of the biggest teams for India in the Games. Other athletes, such as Avinash Sable, Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Parul Chaudhary, and Annu Rani, will represent India in athletics.
India is ready for Aichi-Nagoya with the momentum of breaking records in the last Asian Games held in Hangzhou where it got 107 medals. With 503 athletes taking part in 36 different sports events, this edition of 2026 will comprise experienced players, Olympic medal winners and budding youngsters.
From athletics and shooting to badminton, hockey, cricket, wrestling and boxing, Indian fans will have plenty to watch as the Asian Games unfold. The Aichi-Nagoya Games promise a packed sporting schedule and another major opportunity for India’s athletes to compete against the best in Asia.
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