Rijiju hails India's first shooting gold at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
Shooters Suruchi and Kamaljeet gave India its first gold at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, topping the Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol event. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju led the congratulations, underscoring India's reliance on shooting as a cornerstone of its multi-sport medal strategy.
Key Takeaways
Suruchi and Kamaljeet won India's first shooting gold of the 2026 Asian Games .
The winning discipline was the Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol event.
The Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan .
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated the duo on Friday, September 25, 2026 .
India has consistently relied on shooting as a key medal-earning discipline at Asian Games since the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang edition.
Further shooting events remain on the schedule, with India's overall medal tally still being shaped.
India's shooters delivered the moment the nation had been waiting for — Suruchi and Kamaljeet claimed the Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol gold at the 2026 Asian Games, giving the country its first shooting gold of the Games. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju was among the first to celebrate, posting a congratulatory message on Friday, September 25, 2026.
The shot that opened India's gold account
The Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol has become one of Indian shooting's marquee events — a discipline that combines technical precision with nerves of steel as pairs compete across a compressed, high-stakes format. Suruchi and Kamaljeet held their composure to top the podium, giving India its first gold in what promises to be a busy week of shooting action at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Rijiju's post captured the mood succinctly: 'India clinch first shooting gold medal of Asian Games 2026!!' — the double exclamation a fair measure of the excitement in the camp.
Shooting's place in India's Asian Games blueprint
This gold fits a well-established pattern. India has leaned on its shooting contingent as a reliable medal engine at the Asian Games across the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2022 Hangzhou editions, banking multiple golds in pistol and rifle events. The discipline has become strategically important — performances at Asian Games feed directly into Olympic qualification cycles, making every podium finish in Aichi-Nagoya count far beyond the medal tally.
Senior government figures routinely amplify shooting victories on social media, and Rijiju's congratulations underscores how seriously the BJP-led government treats these early markers in a multi-sport campaign.
What rides on the results ahead
This gold opens, rather than closes, India's shooting ambitions at these Games. Several individual and team events in rifle and pistol disciplines remain on the schedule, and the pair's performance will set the psychological tone for teammates yet to step onto the line. India's overall medal tally — and its standing in the final table — will be shaped by how the shooting squad converts this early momentum.
Point of View
Performances at Aichi-Nagoya will feed directly into Los Angeles 2028 qualification narratives, making each podium finish a chess move as much as a celebration. The mixed-team format in particular has become a proving ground for the depth of India's shooting pipeline.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won India's first shooting gold at Asian Games 2026?
Suruchi and Kamaljeet won India's first shooting gold at the 2026 Asian Games, topping the Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol event in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Where are the 2026 Asian Games being held?
The 2026 Asian Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
What is the Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol event?
The Mixed Team 10m Air Pistol is a shooting discipline contested at the Asian Games and Olympics where a male-female pair competes together, firing at targets from a distance of 10 metres.
Why did Kiren Rijiju congratulate India's shooters?
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju posted congratulations on X because Suruchi and Kamaljeet secured India's first gold medal in shooting at the 2026 Asian Games on September 25, 2026.
How has India performed in shooting at previous Asian Games?
India has been a strong performer in shooting at recent Asian Games, winning multiple medals including golds in pistol and rifle events at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang and 2022 Hangzhou editions.
