Why in the News
India achieved its best-ever performance at the fifth Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, winning 114 medals. On 25 October 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as a moment of pride for the country, according to PIB. Indian athletes had completed their participation on 23 October.
Medal Breakdown
- Total: 114. Thirty gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze, placing India fourth.
- Smaller delegation, larger result: Only 168 para-athletes competed, compared with 309 at Hangzhou 2022, yet medals increased.
- Para-athletics: Sixty-five medals: 22 gold, 19 silver and 24 bronze, more than half the total.
India's Medals across Editions
- Guangzhou 2010, first edition: 14.
- Incheon 2014: 33.
- Jakarta 2018: 72.
- Hangzhou 2022: 108: 27 gold, 32 silver, 49 bronze; fifth place. The original 111 fell by three after doping cases involving two athletes.
- Aichi-Nagoya 2026: 114: 30 gold, 35 silver, 49 bronze; fourth place. Held on 18-24 October across 18 sports, Japan's first hosting.
- Next: Doha 2030 and Riyadh 2034.
About the Games and Analytical Points
The Asian Para Games are Asia's largest quadrennial para-sport competition, first held in Guangzhou in 2010. More medals with roughly half the delegation suggests improvements in selection, training and sports-science support. Concentration in athletics also points to the next task: greater depth in sports such as shooting, badminton and powerlifting. Institutional attention helps bring sporting participation by persons with disabilities into the mainstream.
Read the detailed analysis: Asian Para Games 2026: India's record, full analysis
Prelims Practice Questions
Question 1. What were India's medal total and medal-table position at the fifth Asian Para Games, 2026?
(a) 108 medals, fifth place
(b) 114 medals, fourth place
(c) 111 medals, fourth place
(d) 114 medals, third place
Answer and Explanation
Answer: (b) 114 medals, fourth place. India won 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze, its best-ever performance at these Games. Its previous best was 108 medals and fifth place at Hangzhou 2022.
Question 2. Which city hosted the first Asian Para Games in 2010?
(a) Incheon
(b) Jakarta
(c) Guangzhou
(d) Hangzhou
Answer and Explanation
Answer: (c) Guangzhou. Guangzhou, China hosted in 2010, followed by Incheon 2014, Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022. The fifth edition took place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan on 18-24 October 2026, Japan's first hosting.
Question 3. What is India's official medal tally for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games?
(a) 111 medals
(b) 114 medals
(c) 108 medals
(d) 72 medals
Answer and Explanation
Answer: (c) 108 medals. India's original 111 medals were reduced by three after doping cases. The official tally is 27 gold, 32 silver and 49 bronze. Seventy-two belongs to Jakarta 2018; 114 to Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Sources
- PIB, 25 October 2026: Prime Minister's appreciation and 114 medals, release 2328126
- Indian Express, 23 October 2026: Medal split, fourth place, delegation and doping adjustment
- Sportstar, 23 October 2026: Medal split, previous editions and future hosts
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