A Campaign of Contrasts at Aichi-Nagoya
India’s badminton campaign at the Asian Games 2026 has delivered both celebration and disappointment in equal measure, with the men’s team securing a medal while the women’s side bowed out earlier than hoped.
Men’s Team: Into the Semi-Finals
- Beat Bangladesh in the round of 16 to advance
- Defeated hosts Japan 3-0 in the quarter-finals to guarantee at least bronze
- Lakshya Sen delivered a dramatic three-game comeback win over Kodai Naraoka
- Satwik-Chirag beat 2021 world champions Hoki and Kobayashi
- Now face defending champions China in the semi-finals
Women’s Team: A Quarter-Final Exit
- Beat Kazakhstan 3-0 in the round of 16, with PV Sindhu, Unnati Hooda and Tanvi Sharma all winning
- Lost 3-1 to hosts Japan in the quarter-finals, ending the team campaign without a medal
- A full breakdown of that defeat is available in our dedicated analysis
A Strong Historical Foundation
India arrived at Aichi-Nagoya with 13 career Asian Games badminton medals, including the historic Hangzhou 2023 haul that saw Satwik-Chirag become India’s first badminton gold medallists at the Games, alongside a men’s team silver and HS Prannoy’s individual bronze.
What’s Next
With the team events largely decided, individual competition begins September 25, offering fresh medal chances for both Sen and Sindhu in singles, and Satwik-Chirag in doubles.
Conclusion
A guaranteed men’s team medal and a disappointing women’s exit sum up India’s mixed Asian Games badminton campaign so far, with the individual events now offering fresh chances to add to the tally.