Asian Games 2026: Indian shooters win 15 medals, but gold tally drops to three
By Sukhminder Bhangu
Nagoya (Japan), October 8, 2026: Indian shooters produced another strong performance at the 2026 Asian Games, winning 15 medals, but the campaign also highlighted a significant drop in gold medals compared with the previous edition in Hangzhou.
India finished the shooting competition in Aichi-Nagoya with three gold, eight silver and four bronze medals.
At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, Indian shooters had won 22 medals — seven gold, nine silver and six bronze. Compared with that performance, India's shooting medal tally in 2026 was down by seven medals, while the number of gold medals fell by four.
The decline in gold medals was the most notable aspect of the campaign, despite Indian shooters continuing to reach finals and finish on the podium.
Neeru Dhanda emerges as a standout performer
Among the Indian shooters, Neeru Dhanda produced one of the standout performances of the Games.
Dhanda won the women's trap gold medal and later added another gold in the mixed trap team event, partnering Kainan Chenna.
The Indian pair also set an Asian Games record with a score of 34 in the mixed trap final.
Dhanda's campaign included two gold medals and a silver, making her one of India's most successful shooters at the Games.
Gold medals remain the key area of concern
The numbers underline the difference between India's shooting performances in Hangzhou and Nagoya.
| Hangzhou 2023 |
7 |
9 |
6 |
22 |
| Aichi-Nagoya 2026 |
3 |
8 |
4 |
15 |
The eight silver medals won in Nagoya show that Indian shooters continued to compete at the highest level and regularly challenge for podium places. However, converting more of those performances into gold medals will be an important area of focus ahead of the next major international competitions.
Shooting's impact on India's overall medal tally
India's overall performance also fell below its record showing at Hangzhou.
At the 2023 Asian Games, India won 107 medals, including 28 gold, 38 silver and 41 bronze. At Aichi-Nagoya, the country finished with 85 medals — 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze.
The reduction in shooting gold medals contributed to the lower overall gold tally, although it was not the only factor. India's performance in athletics and other disciplines also differed from its showing in Hangzhou.
Therefore, the shooting campaign cannot be described as a failure. Fifteen medals, including three gold and eight silver, represent a substantial contribution to India's Asian Games campaign.
For Indian shooting, however, the challenge is clear: podium finishes need to translate into more gold medals.
With the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics ahead, the Aichi-Nagoya experience provides an opportunity to assess where Indian shooters can improve, particularly in events where strong performances are ending with silver rather than gold.
Neeru Dhanda's double-gold performance provides one of the highlights of the campaign, while the overall medal distribution points to the next challenge for Indian shooting — turning consistent podium finishes into a larger gold-medal haul.