Para Asian Games 2026: Can India Surpass Its Record 108-Medal Haul?

India will send a 168-athlete contingent to the 2026 Para Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as the country looks to build on its historic medal tally from the previous edition in Hangzhou.

The fifth Asian Para Games will take place from October 18 to 24, with competitions scheduled across Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya. The event will feature 492 medal events across 18 sports and 19 disciplines, with India set to compete in 12 sports.

India's contingent comprises 281 members, including 112 men and 56 women athletes, alongside 113 officials and support staff. The squad is smaller than the 303 athletes India fielded at the 2023 Hangzhou Games, with the reduction attributed to fewer events and strict quota restrictions imposed by the organisers in several disciplines.

India finished sixth in Hangzhou with a record 108 medals, comprising 27 gold, 32 silver and 49 bronze. It was the country's first time crossing the 100-medal mark at the Para Asian Games, setting a significant benchmark for the team heading into the 2026 edition.

Para Asian Games 2026: Dates and Schedule

The Para Asian Games will run for seven days, from October 18 to 24, 2026, in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan.

Nagoya will become the first Japanese city to host the quadrennial para-sporting event. The competition programme includes individual and team disciplines, with athletes competing across 492 medal events.

The supplied schedule information does not specify the day-by-day timings or individual competition dates for India's athletes.

Which Sports Will India Compete In?

India will participate in 12 sports at the 2026 Para Asian Games. The programme includes para athletics, para badminton, para archery, para shooting, para swimming, para table tennis, para powerlifting, para judo, para cycling, boccia, blind football and wheelchair sports.

Individual disciplines include para fencing, para judo, para table tennis, para cycling, para taekwondo, para archery and para shooting. Team competitions include blind football, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby.

Blind chess, para rowing and para canoeing, in which India fielded athletes previously, will not feature in this edition.

Indian Athletes at Para Asian Games 2026

Who Are India's Flag-Bearers for Para Asian Games?

Para-badminton star Pramod Bhagat and para table tennis player Bhavina Patel will carry the Indian flag at the opening ceremony.

Bhagat is among India's most decorated para-badminton players and has won six Asian Para Games titles.

Key Indian Athletes to Watch

India's squad features several established names across athletics, badminton, archery and shooting.

In para athletics, the contingent includes Nishad Kumar, Sumit, Dharambir, Deepthi Jeevanji, Preeti Pal and Shailesh Kumar. Para badminton will feature Pramod Bhagat, Krishna Nagar, Sukant Kadam, Nitesh Kumar, Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manasi Joshi.

India's para-archery team includes Sheetal Devi, Harvinder Singh, Vijay Sundi and Shyam Sunder Swami. In para shooting, Avani Lekhara, Mona Agarwal, Manish Narwal and Rubina Francis are among the athletes listed in the contingent.

The team also includes Sachin Chamaria in boccia, Kapil Parmar in para judo, and Bhavina Patel in para table tennis.

Para Asian Games 2026: Venues

The supplied venue list identifies the following locations for selected events:

- Blind football: Nagoya City Tsuruma Park multipurpose ground
- Wheelchair rugby: Wing Arena Kariya
- Wheelchair basketball: Aichi International Arena
- Para fencing: Inae Sports Center
- Para shooting: Aichi Prefectural Shooting Range, Toyota

The venue details provided do not cover every sport on the competition programme.

How to Watch the Para Asian Games 2026 Live in India

Indian viewers can watch the Para Asian Games 2026 live on DD Sports.

Live streaming will be available on the FanCode app and website with an active subscription.

Can India Beat Its 108-Medal Record?

India enters the Aichi-Nagoya Games after its strongest-ever performance at the Para Asian Games in 2023. The 108-medal haul in Hangzhou established a new benchmark, including 27 gold medals.

With a 168-athlete contingent competing across 12 sports, India will aim to continue its progress on the continental stage. However, the smaller squad and changes to the competition programme mean that comparisons with the previous edition will depend on the events available and India's performance across the week.

The Games begin on October 18 and conclude on October 24, with India's athletes competing across a range of individual and team disciplines.