Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the Indian contingent following its participation in the Asian Games 2026, recognising the athletes' performances at the continental sporting event held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. India finished fourth in the overall medal standings, winning 85 medals, including 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.
This Is What Prime Minister Narendra Modi Said
On making India proud: "You have made 140 crore Indians proud. The biggest success is to make the tri-colour fly high. That's why your success is not just yours but it belongs to crores of our countrymen. I congratulate you on behalf of the entire country."
On women athletes: "I especially want to congratulate our women athletes, they contributed 38 medals to our tally and 11 of those medals were gold."
On the Indian teams: PM Modi also praised the Indian cricket and hockey teams and applauded the archers for winning five gold medals.
He also said, "This time, at the Asian Games, several members of Team India were just 15–17 years old. At such a young age, these athletes have brought glory to the country through their outstanding performances and won the hearts of the people."
"This shows that age is no barrier to success. In fact, in sports, starting at a young age is an added advantage. That is why we are making efforts to identify sporting talent from an early age. We are placing special emphasis on identifying and training talented children between the ages of 5 and 15. In the coming years, thousands of new athletes will get opportunities to progress through Khelo India and Emerging Khelo India."
"We must further strengthen our preparations for upcoming sporting competitions. The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are approaching. In 2030, India will host the Commonwealth Games, and hosting the Olympics in 2036 is also India's aspiration."
"Keeping these goals in mind, I spoke about launching a talent hunt campaign from the Red Fort. Today, efforts are being made to reach every village to identify talented athletes and nurture their abilities. These are the athletes who will win medals for India in the years to come."
The interaction brought together athletes, coaches, support staff and sports officials to acknowledge India's achievements across several disciplines. The Indian contingent's performance included historic milestones in archery, hockey, shooting, weightlifting and wrestling, alongside maiden Asian Games medals in soft tennis and mixed martial arts.
Narendra Modi/YouTube
PM Narendra Modi Meets Indian Contingent After Asian Games 2026
India's men's and women's hockey teams both clinched gold medals, while the country also secured its first-ever gold in the women's trap event. The Indian athletes also registered significant achievements in recurve archery and ended long medal droughts in weightlifting and Greco-Roman wrestling.
The meeting followed India's fourth-place finish at the Games, marking its second consecutive appearance among the top five nations. The contingent's 85-medal tally included several memorable performances that highlighted India's presence across a wide range of sporting disciplines.
Modi had earlier congratulated the athletes for representing the country with determination, passion and sporting spirit. He also expressed hope that their performances would inspire future generations and contribute to strengthening sports at the grassroots level.
