India’s Asiad 2026 campaign gets underway with grand send-off ceremony | Asian Games 2026

With the countdown to Aichi-Nagoya nearing its final stretch, India’s Asian Games campaign took a significant step forward on Monday as the country’s contingent received its formal send-off from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Athletes, coaches and support staff gathered in New Delhi ahead of the September 19 opening, marking the transition from preparation to competition for a team seeking to build on India’s record 107-medal haul from the 2023 Asian Games.

The send-off ceremony also featured messages from Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and IOA president PT Usha, who urged athletes to embrace the challenge and focus on delivering their best.

Sports minister urges athletes to turn pressure into performance

Addressing the contingent, Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted India’s growing pool of sporting talent and urged athletes to channel the pressure of competing at the Asian Games into performance.

He encouraged them to treat their opponents as opportunities to test themselves and convert those opportunities into achievements, while adding that he expected the contingent to raise India’s standing at the Games.

PT Usha asks athletes to embrace the occasion

Usha urged the athletes not to be overwhelmed by the scale of the Asian Games, reminding them that they had already earned their place among the best in Asia.

She asked them to draw strength from the expectations surrounding the team rather than treating them as a burden. Usha also encouraged the athletes to enjoy the competition and approach their events with courage, humility and belief in their ability.

Athletes discuss the challenge ahead

The ceremony also featured a panel discussion involving Olympic medallist Swapnil Kusale, Commonwealth Games gold medallist Asmita Dey, Commonwealth Games medallist and weightlifter Gyaneshwari Yadav, and kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat.

India seeks to build on 107-medal haul

India’s campaign in Aichi-Nagoya will cover a wide range of disciplines as athletes take on leading sporting nations from across Asia.

The contingent enters the Games after India’s best-ever Asian Games medal tally in 2023, when the country won 107 medals in Hangzhou. The IOA and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will hope the current team can build on that performance when competition begins in Japan.

The send-off brought together athletes, coaches and members of the support staff, highlighting the collective effort behind India’s Asian Games campaign.