India (Commonwealth Union)_ India reasserted its dominance in the international sporting arena by finishing fourth at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The Indian contingent returned home with 39 medals: 13 gold, 17 silver and 9 bronze, despite competing in one of the toughest editions of the games. Held from July 23 to August 2, Glasgow 2026 had a reduced sporting programme, with medal-rich events such as wrestling, badminton, table tennis, hockey and shooting omitted. These exclusions were expected to severely affect India’s medal tally as these sports have traditionally delivered a large chunk of the country’s success at the Commonwealth Games.
However, Indian athletes adapted brilliantly. Instead of depending on familiar strengths, they produced standout performances in boxing, athletics, weightlifting, judo and para-sports to ensure India retained fourth place in the overall standings behind Australia, England and Canada. The result underlined the growing depth of Indian sport. It also showed that India’s success is no longer limited to a handful of disciplines, with emerging athletes stepping up when the country needed them the most.
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India’s stellar performance at CWG 26
India’s campaign was built on consistency rather than a single outstanding performance. Boxing led the way with 10 medals, including a remarkable seven gold medals, making India the most successful nation in the sport at Glasgow. Young boxers impressed throughout the competition, while experienced campaigners maintained their composure under pressure to deliver one of India’s finest boxing performances at the Commonwealth Games. Weightlifting once again lived up to expectations. Mirabai Chanu created history by winning her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal, becoming only the second Indian athlete to achieve that feat. The weightlifting team also added four silver medals and a bronze, continuing India’s rich tradition in the sport.
Judo enjoyed a landmark edition as Asmita Dey became India’s first-ever Commonwealth Games champion in the discipline. Soon after, Harsh Singh added another gold, making it a memorable tournament for Indian judo. Athletics produced several memorable moments. Gulveer Singh became the first Indian track and field athlete to win two individual medals at a single Commonwealth Games after claiming silver in the 10,000m and bronze in the 5,000m. Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra marked his return to the Games with a silver medal in the javelin throw, while Tejaswin Shankar created history as India’s first Commonwealth Games decathlon medallist.
India’s para-athletes also played a major role in the country’s success. Sharmila Dhankar became the first Indian para-athlete to win Commonwealth Games gold in para-athletics, while Dilip Gavit and Soman Rana added two more gold medals. Their performances highlighted the rapid growth of para-sports in India. Overall, 122 Indian athletes competed across eight able-bodied sports and five integrated para-sports. Their collective effort ensured India remained among the Commonwealth’s leading sporting nations despite the reduced programme.
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The prime minister cheers the winners
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian contingent for its outstanding performance in Glasgow and praised the athletes for their determination, discipline and fighting spirit. He applauded the team for winning 39 medals, including 13 golds, and said their achievements would inspire young athletes across the country. He also wished the entire contingent success in future international competitions and expressed confidence that they would continue to bring pride to India.
Full list of winners
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13 Gold Medals
- Mirabai Chanu – Weightlifting (Women’s 48kg)
- Sharmila Dhankar – Para-Athletics (Women’s Shot Put F57)
- Dilip Gavit – Para-Athletics (Men’s 100m T47)
- Asmita Dey – Judo (Women’s 48kg)
- Harsh Singh – Judo (Men’s 60kg)
- Soman Rana – Para-Athletics
- Preeti Pawar – Boxing
- Jaismine Lamboria – Boxing
- Sakshi Chaudhary – Boxing
- Priya Ghanghas – Boxing
- Arundhati Choudhary – Boxing
- Sachin Siwach – Boxing
- Ankush Panghal – Boxing
17 Silver Medals
- Rishikanta Singh Chanambam – Weightlifting (Men’s 60kg)
- Muthupandi Raja – Weightlifting
- Gyaneshwari Yadav – Weightlifting
- Valluri Ajaya Babu – Weightlifting
- Sarvesh Kushare – Athletics (High Jump)
- Harjinder Kaur – Athletics
- Gulveer Singh – Athletics
- Murali Sreeshankar – Athletics
- Mohammed Basil – Athletics
- Lovepreet Singh – Athletics
- Seema Kaliramna – Boxing
- Yamini Mourya – Judo
- Tejaswin Shankar – Decathlon
- Yash Vir Singh – Wrestling
- Neeraj Chopra – Javelin Throw
- Pravreen Chithravel – Triple Jump
- Selva Prabhu – Athletics
9 Bronze Medals
- Jhandu Kumar – Para-Powerlifting (Men’s Heavyweight)
- Bindyarani Devi – Weightlifting
- Shilpa K. Shyla – Para-Athletics
- Gulveer Singh – Athletics
- Unnati Sharma – Wrestling
- Narender Berwal – Boxing
- Jadumani Singh – Boxing
- Shubham Juyal – Boxing
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Sportswise medals for India
India’s medals came from six sports, reflecting a broader spread of success than in previous editions. Boxing and athletics led the tally with 10 medals each, followed by weightlifting with eight medals. Para-athletics contributed six medals, judo delivered four, while para-powerlifting added one, taking India’s total to 39 medals.
Para-campaign
The Glasgow Games marked India’s best-ever para-campaign at the Commonwealth Games. The contingent won seven medals: three gold, two silver and two bronze, matching the combined tally from all previous editions. Para-athletics accounted for six of those medals and ended a two-decade wait for an Indian podium finish in the discipline. The success reflected the growing strength of India’s para-sports programme and the increasing opportunities available to para-athletes.
Previous Commonwealth Games history
India has been one of the Commonwealth Games’ most successful nations since making its debut in 1934 and currently ranks fourth in the all-time medal standings. The country’s finest performance came at New Delhi 2010, where it won 101 medals to finish second overall. At Birmingham 2022, India secured 61 medals, but many of the sports that contributed to that tally were not part of the Glasgow programme. That makes India’s fourth-place finish in 2026 even more significant, as the team achieved it despite losing several traditional medal-winning events.
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Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is one of the world’s biggest multi-sport competitions, bringing together athletes from nations and territories across the Commonwealth every four years. First held in 1930 as the British Empire Games, the event has grown into a major international sporting festival that celebrates excellence, friendship and fair play. The 2026 edition in Glasgow featured athletes from 74 nations and territories competing across 10 sports.
Top 10 countries at the 2026 Commonwealth Games
Australia once again dominated the medal table with 171 medals, followed by England (110) and Canada (62). India finished fourth with 39 medals, edging hosts Scotland on the basis of more gold medals. New Zealand, Wales, Nigeria, Jamaica and Malaysia completed the top ten.
Top 10 standings:
- Australia – 171
- England – 110
- Canada – 62
- India – 39
- Scotland – 39
- New Zealand – 36
- Wales – 31
- Nigeria – 24
- Jamaica – 19
- Malaysia – 16
India’s performance in Glasgow was about much more than the medal count. Competing without several of its strongest sports, the contingent showed resilience, adaptability and growing depth across multiple disciplines. By finding new champions and delivering consistent performances where it mattered most, India not only defended its place among the Commonwealth’s top sporting nations but also demonstrated that its future success will be driven by a wider and more diverse group of athletes.
