India script history with best-ever finish and record 114 medals at Asian Para Games

NEW DELHI: India signed off from the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya with a historic performance, securing their best-ever finish of fourth place and their biggest medal haul across the five editions of the continental event.

With the competition concluding on Saturday and only the Closing Ceremony remaining, India finished with a record 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze.

The fourth-place finish also marked a new high for the Indian contingent at the Asian Para Games, underlining the progress made by the country’s para-athletes on the continental stage.

India had entered the final day in fourth place, but their position was not confirmed as South Korea remained within striking distance.

The Korean contingent needed two more gold medals to draw level with India’s tally of 30, with their superior silver count potentially pushing them ahead.

South Korea threaten, but India hold on to fourth

South Korea added three medals on the final day, taking their overall tally to 100.

However, they won only one gold, along with two silver medals, and finished fifth with 29 gold, 38 silver and 33 bronze.

That left South Korea one gold short of India, ensuring the Indian contingent retained fourth place.

Iran, who finished sixth with 26 gold medals, were also unable to mount a late challenge to India’s position.

India’s final tally of 114 medals surpassed their previous best of 108 at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou.

The 30 gold medals also set a new benchmark for the country at the event.

The performance was built on strong contributions across disciplines, with athletics, badminton, archery and shooting among the key medal-winning sports.

India’s athletes produced several standout performances and record-breaking efforts during the week-long competition.

China dominate as Japan and Uzbekistan complete top three

China topped the standings by a substantial margin, finishing with 217 gold medals and 435 medals overall.

Hosts Japan placed second with 186 medals, including 64 gold, while Uzbekistan took third with 145 medals, including 45 gold.

India followed in fourth with 114 medals, ahead of South Korea, Iran, Thailand, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia in the top 10.

Thailand finished seventh with 125 medals overall, despite having fewer gold medals than the nations above them.

Indonesia were eighth, followed by Kazakhstan in ninth and Saudi Arabia in 10th.

India’s campaign in Aichi-Nagoya will be remembered for its record medal haul and best-ever finish.

The fourth-place result, achieved despite a smaller contingent than the one sent to Hangzhou in 2022, gives the country a new benchmark to build on at the next edition of the Asian Para Games.

The final top 10 medal standings reflect China’s dominance and the strong performances of Japan and Uzbekistan, while India’s fourth-place finish represents a historic milestone for the country’s para-sport movement.

Asian Para Games 2026: Top 10 nations in the final medal tally

Rank Nations Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 China 207 117 111 435 2 Japan 64 60 62 186 3 Uzbekistan 45 49 51 145 4 INDIA 30 35 49 114 5 South Korea 29 38 33 100 6 Iran 26 36 40 102 7 Thailand 19 40 66 125 8 Indonesia 15 21 37 73 9 Kazakhstan 12 16 22 50 10 Saudi Arabia 8 8 11 27