Swapnil Kusale, Sarabjot Singh lead 24-member India squad at ISSF World Cup Cairo 2026
Synopsis
Two Paris 2024 bronze medallists headline India's strongest shooting squad in recent memory. Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh lead a 24-member contingent at the ISSF World Cup in Cairo — a competition that doubles as a crucial form check ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification cycle.
Key Takeaways
Swapnil Suresh Kusale and Sarabjot Singh , both Paris 2024 bronze medallists, headline India's squad at the ISSF World Cup Cairo 2026 ( 8–16 October ).
India fields a 24-member contingent across 8 individual Olympic disciplines and 2 mixed team events .
The squad completed a week-long national camp at Maharana Pratap Sports College, Dehradun from 1–7 October 2026 .
Olympian Arjun Babuta (silver, 2026 Asian Shooting Championships) leads the Men's 10m Air Rifle team; Anjum Moudgil anchors the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions side.
Mixed team finals began on the opening competition day; individual events run through 15 October 2026 .
Olympic bronze medallists Swapnil Suresh Kusale and Sarabjot Singh will spearhead a 24-member Indian contingent at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Cairo, Egypt, running from 8 to 16 October 2026. The squad arrived in Cairo after completing an intensive national camp in Dehradun from 1 to 7 October 2026 at the Maharana Pratap Sports College, where shooters focused on match simulations and technical fine-tuning.
A Squad Built on Olympic Pedigree
India will compete across eight individual Olympic disciplines and two mixed team events, fielding a blend of seasoned Olympians and emerging talent. Swapnil Kusale headlines the Men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions team alongside Akhil Sheoran and Adriyan Karmakar. Olympian Arjun Babuta — who claimed silver at the 2026 Asian Shooting Championships in New Delhi — leads the Men's 10m Air Rifle unit with Deaflympics champion Dhanush Srikanth and Paarth Makhija.
In the women's rifle events, two-time Olympian Anjum Moudgil anchors the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions team with Ayushi Podder and Manini Kaushik. Arya Rajesh Borse, who won silver at the Buenos Aires World Cup, features in the Women's 10m Air Rifle alongside Khyati Chaudhary and Ismita Bhowal.
Sarabjot Singh Heads Pistol Challenge
Paris 2024 bronze medallist Sarabjot Singh leads the Men's 10m Air Pistol line-up alongside Ajendra Singh Chauhan and Udhayveer Sidhu. Vijayveer Sidhu will front India's challenge in the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol alongside Suraj Sharma and Ankur Goel.
The women's pistol unit is anchored by Asian Games champion Palak, who contests the Women's 10m Air Pistol alongside Muskan and Surbhi Rao. Olympian Rhythm Sangwan, former World Cup gold medallist Chinki Yadav, and Divya TS form the Women's 25m Sports Pistol line-up.
Competition Schedule and Mixed Team Pairings
Competitive firing began on Saturday, 11 October 2026, with the opening day featuring finals in both the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team and the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team events. Ajendra Singh Chauhan will partner Palak, while Udhayveer Sidhu teams up with Muskan in the air pistol mixed team. In the air rifle mixed team, the pairings are Paarth Makhija with Arya Rajesh Borse, and Dhanush Srikanth with Khyati Chaudhary. Individual qualification rounds and finals across the 10m, 25m, and 50m ranges continue through 15 October 2026.
Full Indian Squad — ISSF World Cup Cairo 2026
10m Air Rifle Men: Paarth Makhija, Dhanush Srikanth, Arjun Babuta
10m Air Rifle Women: Arya Rajesh Borse, Khyati Chaudhary, Ismita Bhowal
50m Rifle 3 Positions Men: Akhil Sheoran, Adriyan Karmakar, Swapnil Suresh Kusale
50m Rifle 3 Positions Women: Anjum Moudgil, Ayushi Podder, Manini Kaushik
10m Air Pistol Men: Sarabjot Singh, Ajendra Singh Chauhan, Udhayveer Sidhu
10m Air Pistol Women: Palak, Muskan, Surbhi Rao
25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men: Suraj Sharma, Vijayveer Sidhu, Ankur Goel
25m Sports Pistol Women: Divya TS, Rhythm Sangwan, Chinki Yadav
10m Air Rifle Mixed Team: Paarth Makhija & Arya Rajesh Borse; Dhanush Srikanth & Khyati Chaudhary
10m Air Pistol Mixed Team: Ajendra Singh Chauhan & Palak; Udhayveer Sidhu & Muskan
With the Paris Olympics still fresh and the 2028 Los Angeles Games qualification cycle beginning to take shape, India's performance in Cairo will serve as an early benchmark for its shooting programme's trajectory over the next two years.
Point of View
And that is precisely why the results will matter. The sport's Olympic qualification pathway means form in 2026 feeds directly into ranking points for Los Angeles 2028, and a strong Cairo outing could consolidate India's status as a multi-medal contender rather than a one-off podium visitor. What mainstream coverage tends to underplay is the depth beyond the headliners — Arya Rajesh Borse's Buenos Aires silver and Dhanush Srikanth's Deaflympics gold signal that India's pipeline is genuinely widening, not just recycling the same half-dozen names. The real question is whether the coaching staff's Dehradun camp format translates into cold-range execution at an away venue.
NationPress
9 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Indian shooters are competing at the ISSF World Cup Cairo 2026?
India has sent a 24-member squad led by Paris 2024 bronze medallists Swapnil Suresh Kusale and Sarabjot Singh. Other notable names include Arjun Babuta, Anjum Moudgil, Rhythm Sangwan, Palak, and Arya Rajesh Borse, covering eight individual Olympic disciplines and two mixed team events.
When and where is the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol 2026 being held?
The ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol 2026 is being held in Cairo, Egypt, from 8 to 16 October 2026. Individual events run through 15 October, with mixed team finals on the opening competition day.
How did India prepare for the Cairo World Cup?
The squad underwent an intensive national camp at Maharana Pratap Sports College in Dehradun from 1 to 7 October 2026, focusing on match simulations and technical refinement before travelling to Egypt.
Who are the mixed team pairings for India at Cairo 2026?
In the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team, Ajendra Singh Chauhan partners Palak, and Udhayveer Sidhu teams up with Muskan. In the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team, Paarth Makhija shoots alongside Arya Rajesh Borse, and Dhanush Srikanth pairs with Khyati Chaudhary.
Why does the ISSF World Cup Cairo 2026 matter for Indian shooting?
It is the first major international competition for India's shooting programme after the Paris 2024 Olympics and comes at the start of the 2028 Los Angeles Games qualification cycle. Results here will influence world rankings and early Olympic quota accumulation.
