India’s Asian Games 2026 Contingent Gets Send-Off

The 503-member Indian contingent for the 20th Asian Games received an official send-off in New Delhi on 8 September 2026. The Games are scheduled from 19 September 2026 to 4 October 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and Indian athletes will compete in 36 sporting disciplines.

Asian Games: Basic Facts

The Asian Games are a continental multi-sport event organised under the Olympic Council of Asia. The event is held once every four years and includes athletes from Asia in Olympic and non-Olympic sports.

Indian Contingent and Team Composition

The Indian contingent for the 2026 edition has 503 members. More than 300 athletes in the contingent are making their Asian Games debut, which places a large number of first-time participants in the squad.

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Indian Olympic Association President Dr. P.T. Usha, Secretary (Sports) Hari Ranjan Rao, and Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav unveiled the Indian contingent’s jersey at the ceremony.

Cricket at the Asian Games

Cricket is included in the Asian Games programme and is played in the T20 format at recent editions. The men’s team is scheduled to stay at APA Hotel Nagoya Ekimae, a three-star hotel, while the women’s team will stay at Meitetsu Grand Hotel, a four-star hotel, in Japan.

BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla stated at the event that the Indian cricket board agreed to the accommodation plan finalised by the Aichi-Nagoya organisers.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Asian Games are the second-largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games in terms of participating athletes and sports.
• The 20th Asian Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from 19 September 2026 to 4 October 2026.
• India’s 2026 contingent has 503 members, and more than 300 athletes are Asian Games debutants.
• The Indian Olympic Association is the national body that represents India in the Olympic movement and related multi-sport events.

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya referred to a ten-year sports plan with an allocation of over ₹36,000 crore for sports infrastructure. The plan is linked with India’s stated goal of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games.