New Delhi: The Sports Ministry has revealed that nearly Rs 800 crore has been invested in preparing India’s athletes for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The spending includes training, international competition exposure, equipment, coaches and specialist support over the past three years.
According to the ministry, Rs 702.86 crore was spent through the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC), while another Rs 97.84 crore was allocated through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). The Asian Games begin on September 19 and continue until October 4.
The largest share of the ACTC spending, Rs 251.4 crore, went towards international competition exposure. Domestic training accounted for another Rs 118.3 crore, reflecting the focus on giving athletes regular high-level competition before the continental event.
India will field 501 athletes, including 267 men and 234 women, across 36 disciplines. The contingent includes 310 athletes making their event debut. A total of 265 support staff will accompany the athletes.
Among the younger athletes attracting attention are 15-year-old cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, paddler Syndrela Das, badminton player Ayush Shetty, 18-year-old squash player Anahat Singh and judoka Asmita Dey. Sooryavanshi is not funded by the Sports Ministry.
Khelo India Pipeline And Sports Science Support
N S Johal, CEO of TOPS, said 65 members of the Indian contingent have come through the Khelo India system. He said the presence of young athletes at the highest level was an encouraging sign for the future.
Johal also said nine coordination meetings of the Target Asian Games Group had been held since January to address preparation requirements and provide athletes with the necessary support.
The ministry has also focused on the support system around athletes. Doctors, physiotherapists, mental health specialists and other sports science professionals are part of the preparations. Around one-third of the authorised support staff comes from sports sciences, while the 265-member support contingent includes 56 women.
India Targets Another Strong Asian Games Campaign
India won 106 medals at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, including 28 gold, 38 silver and 40 bronze medals. The Sports Ministry says the current contingent has built sufficient momentum to match or improve that performance.
The final contingent is two athletes smaller than the originally sanctioned 503 after two names were dropped following doping violations.
Johal said the ultimate performance would come from the athletes, while stressing that the preparation effort has focused on creating the best possible environment despite administrative challenges involving some sporting federations.
With substantial spending on competition exposure, domestic training, equipment and specialist support, India will now take that preparation into the Aichi-Nagoya Games, where a large group of young athletes will get their first opportunity to compete at the Asian Games level.
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