700 cr on Preparation, 250 cr on competition Exposure: Breaking down Sports Ministry's spend on Indian athletes for Asian Games 2026
(Courtesy : Indian Olympic Association)
Over ₹702 crore has been spent on athletes’ training, equipment and coaching over the past three years.
With the Asian Games 2026 just three days away, all eyes are on the Indian contingent as fans wait to see whether the country can surpass its record haul of 106 medals from the 2022 Hangzhou Games.
Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry of India (Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India) has had to shell out a whopping ₹702 crore-plus budget for preparing the athletes for this event. It also included expenses for training, equipment support and hiring of coaches and experts.
Largest chunk of expense for international competition exposure
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According to the Ministry of Sports, ₹702.86 crore was spent primarily under its annual competition and training calendar. Meanwhile, the Ministry’s flagship athlete development programme, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), provided an additional ₹97.84 crore for the athletes’ preparations.
However, the largest share — ₹251.4 crore — was spent on international competition exposure, while ₹118.3 crore went to domestic training.
Related: A look at India’s medal winners at Asian Games 2022
Additionally, TOPS also ensured adequate representation of sports science specialists; along with physiotherapists, mental health experts and doctors were included in the contingent, who would also be a part of their travelling team for the Games.
“Every team has women’s support staff. One third of the authorised support staff is from sports sciences. These are the little things we have worked on to ensure balance in the contingents,” NS Johal (TOPS CEO) was quoted as saying by PTI during a media interaction session.
“It took us a while to come out with the contingent list because some federations had not named enough women support staff.”
TOPS succeeds in bringing in young talents
The 2026 Asian Games will feature several Indian athletes making their debut, with some set to become the youngest members of the contingent.
With cricket returning to the Games, India men’s team player Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, aged 15, will be the youngest athlete in the contingent. Other teenage athletes include judoka Syndrela Das (17) and squash player Anahat Singh (18).
“There is good momentum across disciplines, and the contingent features a lot of debutants, which is, as TOPS CEO, a very proud thing for me. The gestation period in sport is high, and when young athletes can enter the top level early, it is a very good sign for the future,” he added.
Related: How many medals did India win at Asian Games 2022?
“Focus has not wavered from the athletes”
Meanwhile, Johal acknowledged there were administrative challenges involving some sports federations. However, he emphasised that the ‘Target Asian Games Group’ held nine coordination meetings and made every possible effort to provide the athletes with excellent preparation and support.
“The biggest takeaway has been that despite everything that goes on, the focus has not wavered from the athletes. We have 65 athletes in the contingent who have come through Khelo India, which is our baseline sports system,” he added.
“Performance has to come from athletes”
India will field a strong contingent of 503 athletes at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, supported by 265 staff members across 36 disciplines. The 265-member support staff includes 56 women, accounting for around 22% of the total contingent.
While Johal said the authorities have done everything possible, the onus will now be on the athletes to deliver at the Games.
“In the end, the performance has to come from athletes. We have tried our best. As I said, the momentum is good, and the younger lot is carrying this momentum,” Johal said.
When will the Asian Games 2026 begin?
The Asian Games 2026 get underway on Saturday, September 19, in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
How much has India’s Sports Ministry spent on Asian Games 2026 preparations?
India’s Sports Ministry has spent over ₹702 crore on athletes’ training, equipment and coaching over the past three years as part of its preparations for the 2026 Asian Games.
How many medals did India win at the 2022 Asian Games?
India won 107 medals (28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze) at the 2022 Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China.
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