Asian Para Games 2026 Open in Aichi-Nagoya; India Fields 281 Members
Why in the news
The fifth Asian Para Games opened on 18 October 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with the opening ceremony at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya. The Games run until 24 October.
Key facts
- Scale: Around 3,000 athletes from 45 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) across 18 sports.
- Theme: The opening ceremony theme was ‘WABI: We Are Beautiful Individuals’.
- Early start: Blind football, para badminton, para table tennis and boccia began before the ceremony.
- Flag-bearers: Para-shuttler Pramod Bhagat and sprinter Simran Sharma. Simran stepped in for para table tennis player Bhavina Patel, who was resting ahead of a quarter-final.
- Key Indians: Sumit Antil (javelin), Avani Lekhara (shooting) and Sheetal Devi (archery).
| India’s contingent | Number |
|---|---|
| Total members | 281 |
| Athletes | 168 (112 men, 56 women) |
| Officials and support staff | 113 |
| Disciplines | 11 |
About India’s past record
At the Hangzhou edition held in China in 2023, India won a record 111 medals (29 gold, 31 silver, 51 bronze) and finished fifth overall. The earlier best was 72 medals at Jakarta 2018.
Exam angle
- Edition and host: 5th Games, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan; previous edition at Hangzhou, China.
- Remember the contingent figures: 281 members, 168 athletes, 11 disciplines.
- India’s medal tally rose from 72 (2018) to 111 (2023).