Indian Sports Ministry to meet after spending Rs 7 billion on Asian Games athletes

Dubai: India’s Sports Ministry will hold a review meeting on Thursday, October 15, to investigate the country’s performance at the 2026 Asian Games, with experienced athletes, including PV Sindhu and Manu Bhaker, expected to come under scrutiny.

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will lead the discussions, which will examine the reasons behind India’s decline and identify measures to improve future performances.

India sent a 501-member athletic contingent to the Games, with the Sports Ministry stating that Rs 700 crore (Dh 270.3 million) had been spent on the athletes over the past three years.

The Indian contingent finished with 85 medals, including 21 gold, a considerable drop from the record 106 medals won at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Although India secured 11 gold medals in the final two days, courtesy of strong performances in archery, hockey, boxing and golf, the overall campaign raised questions about several established athletes.

Badminton was a major disappointment, with India returning home with just one bronze medal, won by the men’s team. Experienced campaigners Sindhu and the defending men’s doubles champions, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, suffered early exits.

Shooting also fell short of expectations, with two-time Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker failing to secure a medal in her events.

Athletics recorded one of the steepest declines. India’s gold medal tally in the discipline dropped from six at Hangzhou to just one at the 2026 Games. Nevertheless, the event also happened to be India’s second most successful Asian Games outing.

The meeting is expected to assess whether the underwhelming results stemmed from preparation, selection, execution or other factors. The ministry will also consider remedial measures to ensure India’s leading athletes deliver more consistent performances at major international competitions.

With India aiming to build on its Asian Games record, the review could prove important in shaping preparations for upcoming international events.