Asian Para Games 2026: India's 168-member squad trained at SAI camps, para-archers prep in Japan
Synopsis
India has sent its largest-ever para-sports contingent to Aichi-Nagoya — 168 athletes, 61 of them first-timers — backed by nearly ₹98.56 crore in government funding and a Japan training camp for para-archers. With Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel as flagbearers, the opening ceremony is on 18 October, and medals are on the line from 19 to 24 October.
Key Takeaways
India's 168-member contingent — 112 men, 56 women — will compete across 11 disciplines at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya .
Government has allocated ₹80.22 crore under ACTC and ₹18.34 crore under TOPS for athlete preparation.
Para-archers trained at the Kurobe Archery Centre in Japan between September and October 2026.
61 athletes will be making their debut at the Asian Para Games; 47 are TOPS-enrolled.
Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel will carry India's flag at the 18 October opening ceremony; medal events run from 19–24 October 2026 .
India's 168-member contingent for the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya has received comprehensive government backing — spanning domestic training camps, overseas exposure, equipment support, and international competition — with para-archers completing a preparatory stint at a facility in Japan ahead of the multi-sport event. The squad, one of the largest India has fielded at the Games, is set to compete across 11 disciplines.
Squad Composition and Scheme Coverage
The contingent comprises 112 men and 56 women. Of these, 47 athletes are enrolled under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), 33 are Khelo India athletes, and a notable 61 will be making their debut at the Asian Para Games. The government has channelled support primarily through the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) and TOPS, with ₹80.22 crore allocated under ACTC and ₹18.34 crore under TOPS — a combined outlay of nearly ₹98.56 crore.
Para-Archers Get Japan Exposure
The para-archery contingent attended an international training camp at the Kurobe Archery Centre in Japan between September and October 2026, giving athletes high-altitude and competitive exposure ahead of the Games. Domestically, the archers also trained at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Regional Centre in Sonipat, ensuring continuity in technical preparation.
SAI Centres Anchor Domestic Preparations
National Coaching Camps were held across multiple SAI facilities for athletes in all disciplines. Para-swimmers and para-powerlifters trained at the SAI Regional Centre in Gandhinagar, while athletes in several other disciplines attended camps at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, SAI Sonipat, and the SAI Regional Centre in Bengaluru.
Para-shooters prepared at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range. The men's blind football team held its camp in Kochi, blind judo athletes trained at the Indian Para Judo Academy in Lucknow, and para-cyclists used the cycling velodrome at SAI's Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. The diversity of venues reflects a coordinated national effort to ensure each para-sport discipline received specialist facilities.
Competitions Begin, Opening Ceremony on October 18
Indian para-badminton, para-table tennis players, and the men's blind football team began their campaigns on Friday. The official opening ceremony is scheduled for 18 October 2026, with shuttler Pramod Bhagat and para-table tennis player Bhavina Patel serving as India's flagbearers. Medal events are slated from 19 to 24 October 2026.
India will feature across para-athletics, para-archery, para-badminton, para-table tennis, boccia, blind football, para-cycling, blind judo, para-powerlifting, para-shooting, and para-swimming — a broad front that underscores the country's growing para-sports ambition on the Asian stage.
Point of View
Not the preparation budget. With 61 debutants in a 168-strong squad, India is clearly building depth, yet depth alone does not translate into podium finishes at Asian level. The choice of Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel as flagbearers is both symbolic and strategic — both are world-class performers who give India genuine gold-medal currency. Whether the SAI camp network, now spanning Gandhinagar to Lucknow, can systematically convert talent into medals over successive cycles remains the defining question for Indian para-sport policy.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many athletes is India sending to the Asian Para Games 2026?
India is fielding a 168-member contingent — 112 men and 56 women — at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, competing across 11 disciplines. Of these, 61 athletes will be appearing at the Games for the first time.
How much has the government spent on preparing the Asian Para Games squad?
The government has allocated approximately ₹98.56 crore in total: ₹80.22 crore under the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC) and ₹18.34 crore under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
Why did Indian para-archers train in Japan?
The para-archery contingent attended an international training camp at the Kurobe Archery Centre in Japan between September and October 2026 to gain international competitive exposure ahead of the Asian Para Games. They also trained domestically at the SAI Regional Centre in Sonipat.
Who are India's flagbearers at the Asian Para Games 2026 opening ceremony?
Shuttler Pramod Bhagat and para-table tennis player Bhavina Patel will serve as India's flagbearers at the opening ceremony on 18 October 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya.
When do India's medal events begin at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Medal events are scheduled from 19 to 24 October 2026 . Several Indian teams, including para-badminton, para-table tennis and the men's blind football team, began their campaigns on Friday, ahead of the official opening ceremony.
