Chief Of Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth Felicitates Indian Army Athletes for Historic 20-Medal Haul At Asian Games

The Chief of the Army Staff honoured Indian Army sportspersons for their strong showing at the Asian Games 2026 and for the role they played in lifting India’s profile in international sport. The event also marked the Army athletes’ hard work, persistence and results, while the Indian Army restated its plan to develop talent and build champions for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028.

The honour marks . It celebrates the dedication, perseverance and sporting excellence of Army athletes and restates the Indian Army’s commitment to spotting talent early and backing it over the long term. That matters for India’s Olympic plans.

The Army has and is now using recent success at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games as a base for its next cycle.

Asian Games Medal Haul

Army athletes delivered a big share of India’s success. They won 20 medals at the Asian Games 2026—6 Gold, 8 Silver and 6 Bronze—accounting for nearly 24% of India’s overall tally of 85 medals.

The Gold return stood out. The Army’s 6 Gold medals marked a 100% rise over its Gold tally at the previous Asian Games. A total of 62 Army athletes, including 9 women, represented India across 15 disciplines, reflecting the growing breadth and depth of Army’s sporting excellence.

Several results carried added weight. Naib Subedar Neeru Dhanda won 2 Gold and 1 Silver medal and became the first Indian woman to secure an individual Gold in Women’s Trap Shooting at the Asian Games.

Naib Subedar Gulveer Singh won three individual athletics medals. Havildar Sawan Barwal took Silver in the marathon and ended India’s 44-year wait for a medal in the event. Havildar Ankush’s Gold medal also pointed to the Army’s grassroots talent development programme.

Women And Pipeline

The Asian Games results followed a strong showing in Glasgow. At the Commonwealth Games 2026, Army athletes won 16 medals — 8 Gold, 7 Silver and 1 Bronze — and made up 41% of India’s total haul.

A particularly encouraging feature has been the growing contribution of women athletes. Four Army women boxers secured four Gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, while women athletes contributed two Gold and one Silver medal at the Asian Games.

The Indian Army remains committed to expanding opportunities for women sportspersons through its Girls Sports Companies, specialised coaching, scientific training and structured pathways to international competitions.

The Army Boys and Girls Sports Companies, High Performance Nodes and Mission Olympic Wing work as one system to turn young talent into world-class athletes. It brings together professional coaching, sports science, modern technology, nutrition, injury prevention and international exposure so athletes can reach their full potential.

Olympic Focus Ahead

Looking ahead, the Indian Army has identified the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 as a major focus of its sporting endeavours. Building upon the momentum generated at the Commonwealth and Asian Games, the emphasis will be on individualised training, performance enhancement, scientific preparation and strengthening the pipeline of future medal prospects.

The COAS expressed confidence that Army sportspersons would continue to bring laurels to the nation through their determination, discipline and pursuit of excellence. The Indian Army remains steadfast in its commitment to developing sporting champions and contributing meaningfully to India’s aspirations of emerging as a leading sporting nation.