India finished fourth at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 85 medals, a significant dip from the previous edition's record haul. While traditional strongholds like shooting and athletics underperformed, breakthroughs in archery, wrestling, golf, boxing, hockey, and cricket showcased a broadening sporting base. The performance serves as a reality check on sustaining progress towards top global rankings and highlights areas for improvement in mental conditioning and preparation.
Trump has enacted a new law imposing significant sanctions on Russia and Iran, which could lead to tariffs of up to 100% on major energy importers like India and China.
India's skeet shooting teams secured two bronze medals at the Asian Games, with both the men's and women's teams reaching the podium. This achievement provided a much-needed boost to India's shooting campaign, despite individual shooters Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Raiza Dhillon narrowly missing out on individual medals, finishing fourth in their respective events.
India continued its strong performance at the Asian Games, securing more medals across various disciplines. Shooter Esha Singh won a hard-fought silver in the women's 25m pistol, while Gulveer Singh added another silver in the men's 1500m. Other notable achievements include Kurash player Picky Balhara's bronze, Vithya Ramraj breaking a national record for bronze in hurdles, and several boxers, the men's cricket team, and squash teams advancing. However, some defending champions faced early exits.
Indian chess teams, both Open and Women's, face a significant challenge to defend their Chess Olympiad titles in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, after crucial losses and a historical 'winner's curse' where no Open section champion has successfully defended their title in the last five editions.
Asian Games silver medallist long jumper Ancy Sojan has responded to social media criticism regarding her appearance and attire, asserting that such comments cannot diminish her achievement or the value of her medal.
India's men's hockey team successfully defended their Asian Games gold medal by defeating Malaysia 5-1, securing a direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The Indian women's hockey team secured their spot in the Asian Games semifinals by defeating Singapore 7-0 in their final Pool B match. Sunelita Toppo scored two goals, leading India to top their pool with a perfect record.
Indian shuttlers Devika Sihag and HS Prannoy faced early exits on the opening day of the USD 2,000,000 China Masters. Devika fought hard in a three-game match, while Prannoy suffered a straight-game defeat. PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, and Ayush Shetty are set to play on Wednesday.
Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat won the men's 57kg gold medal at the Asian Games, defeating North Korea's world champion Chong Song Han in the final.
Lovlina Borgohain has made history by becoming the first Indian woman boxer to reach consecutive Asian Games finals, assuring at least a silver medal.
Tanvi Patri overcame compatriot Shaina Manimuthu in a three-game final to clinch the Asian U-17 title, adding another major trophy to her breakthrough 2026 season.
Volkswagen, a long-standing but minor player in India's fiercely competitive automotive sector, is now exploring a strategic partnership with the JSW group, aiming to revitalise its market presence, enhance profitability, and potentially establish India as a key export hub for electric vehicles.
India's Deepu Mallesh has advanced to the quarterfinals of the men's speed climbing event at the Asian Games, clocking a best time of 5.09 seconds. This marks his debut at the Games. Meanwhile, Joga Purty, who also qualified for the women's quarterfinals, was eliminated due to a false start. Sport climbing is a relatively new event at both the Asian Games and the Olympics.
Indian boxers Parveen Hooda and Ankush Panghal have secured their spots in the gold medal bouts of their respective weight categories at the Asian Games, with Parveen overcoming a past suspension to achieve this feat and Ankush defeating a world champion. This achievement marks a significant improvement for India's boxing contingent.
Indian shooter Esha Singh secured a silver medal in the women's 25m pistol final at the 2026 Asian Games. She revealed that technical interruptions during the tense shoot-off were a "blessing in disguise," helping her manage unexpected fatigue and hand tightness. Esha battled through multiple shoot-offs, eventually finishing second to China's Xiao Jiaruixian, and plans to celebrate her achievement with a meal with her coach.
Indian shooter Niraj Kumar, a silver medallist in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions team event at the Asian Games, shared his joy and the sacrifices he made for his sport. He recounted choosing shooting over academics, asking his parents to buy him equipment, and expressed gratitude for the support from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). He also reflected on his Asian Games debut and future aspirations for an individual medal.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has issued directives to various departments to ensure top-tier arrangements for the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament, set to take place in Jalandhar and Mohali from October 27 to November 5. Mann emphasised the need for world-class facilities, robust security, and comprehensive crowd management, while also calling for a statewide trophy tour and student participation to foster public enthusiasm and showcase Punjab's rich sporting heritage. He personally inspected venues and stressed the importance of cleanliness, beautification, and hospitality for international delegations.
'Work hard and have patience, because after long, hard work you achieve your target. Always stay disciplined, work hard and be passionate about your sport.'
The Indian junior women's hockey team secured their third consecutive AHF Junior Asia Cup title by defeating China 1-0.
Star long jumper Murali Sreeshankar's ankle injury, sustained during the Asian Games where he won a silver medal, is not as serious as initially feared. His father and coach, S Murali, confirmed that the injury will require rest and rehabilitation, but Sreeshankar is expected to be ready for the next season.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to Indian shooter Esha Singh and Kurash athlete Pincky Balhara for their impressive medal-winning performances at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan.
Indian shot putter Manpreet Kaur secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games with a throw of 17.17m. Chinese athletes Song Jiayuan and Zhang Linru won the gold and silver respectively. This adds to Kaur's recent international success, following a bronze at the 2023 Asian Championships.
India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is actively courting Sri Lanka's Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Marxist party with strong Sinhalese nationalist roots, marking a significant shift in bilateral relations despite ideological differences. This engagement, highlighted by a recent high-profile visit by JVP leader Tilvin Silva, aims to foster cooperation on economic projects and address New Delhi's concerns over slow progress in India-aided initiatives in the island nation.
Neeru Dhanda has taken the sole lead in the women's trap qualification at the Asian Games, positioning herself for a historic individual gold. Fresh from a World Cup win, Dhanda maintained strong consistency. In the men's trap, Shapath Bharadwaj made a significant recovery to move into joint fifth place, keeping India's medal hopes alive in both individual and team events.
'India should not trade away its energy security for temporary tariff relief. Neither signing a trade agreement nor stopping Russian oil purchases can protect it from future US action.'
The Indian men's and women's squash teams have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of the Asian Games. The women's team secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Japan, with crucial wins from Joshna Chinappa and Tanvi Khanna, despite Anahat Singh's loss. The men's team dominated South Korea with a 3-0 sweep to also seal their spot in the last eight.
The Indian men's chess team, led by world champion D Gukesh, secured a 2.5-1.5 victory over Germany, while the women's team dominated Uzbekistan 3-1 in the ninth round of the 46th Chess Olympiad. Both teams remain in contention for a podium finish, with Gukesh's comeback win being a highlight.
Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra congratulated Indian athletes and support teams for their Asian Games campaign, emphasizing the hard work involved. He praised breakthrough achievements while calling for honest analysis of setbacks and stronger long-term high-performance systems, urging urgent preparation for the Los Angeles Olympics.
India's women's recurve archery team, comprising Ankita Bhakat, Kumkum Anil Mohod, and Kirti Sharma, secured a historic gold medal at the Asian Games by defeating South Korea 5-3 in the final. This marks India's first-ever gold in this event, a significant achievement against a traditionally dominant opponent.
India experienced a day of mixed fortunes at the Asian Games, highlighted by Mirabai Chanu's historic silver medal in weightlifting, ending a long wait for an Asiad medal. The nation also secured several bronze medals in skeet shooting, men's badminton, and soft tennis. While Chanu shone, the shooting contingent faced challenges, and other sports like wushu, table tennis, squash, women's hockey, and kabaddi saw Indian athletes advance or dominate their events.
India achieved its most successful day at the Asian Games, securing 10 gold medals, 21 silver, and 29 bronze, bringing the total to 60 and improving its ranking to seventh. Compound archers swept all team golds, including an Olympic quota, while trap shooters Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai also won mixed gold. Boxing and wrestling added bronze medals, and the women's hockey team reached the final, assuring at least a silver.
President Donald Trump is set to sign the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which includes tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas, such as India. India has voiced concerns over the potential impact on its ties with the US and the global energy market.
India's women's 10m air rifle team, comprising Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar, and Vidarsa Vinod, secured a silver medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. This marks India's first confirmed medal at the event, with Sonam and Elavenil also qualifying for the individual final.
Indian shooters Himanshu Dhillon and Rudrankksh Patil secured individual silver and bronze medals respectively in the men's 10m air rifle event at the Asian Games. India also won a team silver, contributing to the nation's growing medal tally in the continental competition.
India's medal tally at the Asian Games surged to 65, highlighted by rare silver medals in men's skiff sailing and Greco-Roman wrestling. The men's cricket and hockey teams secured their spots in the finals with impressive victories, while squash teams and compound archer Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru contributed bronze medals. Indian golfers are also in contention, and sepaktakraw guaranteed at least a bronze, showcasing a diverse sporting performance.
Indian badminton star P V Sindhu was defeated by local favourite Chen Yufei in a gruelling three-game match at the China Open second round. Sindhu, who recently won the Japan Open, lost 21-16, 20-22, 18-21 in a closely contested encounter that lasted nearly 90 minutes.
Ace Indian shuttler PV Sindhu voiced strong displeasure regarding the "not really well organised" badminton scheduling at the Asian Games, citing three matches in 24 hours and insufficient recovery time.
India achieved significant milestones at the Asian Games, securing its first-ever women's trap gold through Neeru Dhanda and another gold in the women's 4x400m relay. These victories pushed India's medal tally past 50, placing the country in the top 10. The day also saw strong performances in boxing, volleyball, archery, squash, and tennis, contributing to a successful outing despite some disappointments in other events.
IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Indian government will release a consultation paper on AI regulations within a month. This framework will address critical aspects like AI safety, deepfakes, and a human-first approach, emphasising the industry's primary responsibility in ensuring safe AI deployment. The move comes amidst growing global concerns over AI risks and the need for robust safeguards.