India will be aiming for another strong medal haul at the 2026 Asian Games and will look to improve on its impressive showing at the previous edition. At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, India produced its best-ever performance at the continental event, winning 106 medals, including 28 gold, and finishing fourth in the overall standings.

India's men's and women's cricket teams enter the 2026 Games as defending champions and will once again be among the teams expected to challenge for gold. The Indian kabaddi team, also the reigning Asian Games champion, will have similar expectations surrounding it.

Beyond the team events, several Indian athletes are expected to be among the country's leading individual gold-medal contenders. Here are 10 names to watch closely:

Jyothi Surekha Vennam - Archery

Jyothi Surekha Vennam is one of India's leading names in compound archery. She enjoyed a memorable campaign at the 2022 Asian Games, winning three gold medals. The archer has also maintained an impressive record at the continental event, having won a medal every time she has competed at the Asian Games.

Dhiraj Bommadevara - Archery

Dhiraj Bommadevara has established himself as one of India's top male recurve archers. He became the first Indian male archer to win an Archery World Cup title and continued his impressive run by claiming gold at the 2026 Antalya World Cup. At 25, he will be among India's key individual archery prospects.

PV Sindhu - Badminton

Two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion PV Sindhu remains one of India's biggest names in badminton. Having built an impressive collection of medals across major international competitions, Sindhu will be looking to add an Asian Games gold to her achievements.

Lakshya Sen - Badminton

Lakshya Sen will also carry significant expectations in the men's badminton competition. He won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and was part of India's historic Thomas Cup-winning squad that year. His performances will be closely watched as India targets another strong badminton campaign.

Manu Bhaker - Shooting

Manu Bhaker emerged as one of India's standout athletes at the Paris Olympics, where she won two medals. She made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win two medals at the same Olympic Games in the post-Independence era. She will now be among India's prominent shooting medal hopes at the Asian Games.

Mirabai Chanu - Weightlifting

Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu will be targeting another major medal in her career. The 32-year-old weightlifter is set to compete in the 49kg category and will be aiming to convert her continental campaign into an Asian Games gold.

Sujeet Kalkal - Wrestling

Sujeet Kalkal is another wrestler expected to be in contention for a top finish. The Haryana wrestler has made a name for himself in the 65kg category and has risen to the top of the world rankings. He will be looking to turn that success into an Asian Games gold medal.

Aman Sehrawat - Wrestling

Aman Sehrawat will be another major Indian contender on the wrestling mat. The Haryana-born wrestler won bronze at the Paris Olympics and competes in the 57kg category. With his international experience, he will be among the wrestlers carrying India's medal hopes.

Esha Singh - Shooting

Esha Singh enters the Asian Games with an impressive record and strong recent form. The 21-year-old is ranked first in the world in the women's 25m pistol and second in the 10m air pistol. At the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, she won two individual silver medals along with a team gold.

Avinash Sable - Athletics

Avinash Sable will be one of India's key athletics contenders. He has previously won Asian Games gold in the men's 3000m steeplechase and also holds the Indian national record in the event. After spending time away from competition because of injury, Sable made a successful comeback by winning the steeplechase at the Indian Athletics Series Final. His return provides another medal opportunity for India in athletics.