At a glance
The Asian Games (also called the Asiad) are a multi-sport event for Asian countries held every four years, two years after each Summer Olympics. The first Games were held in New Delhi in 1951, an idea of India's Guru Dutt Sondhi. They are run by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). The 20th edition was held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in 2026, where India finished fourth with 85 medals.
Key facts
- First Games: 1951, New Delhi (India finished second)
- Proposed by: Guru Dutt Sondhi (India)
- Governing body: Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), created in November 1981; runs the Games since 1982
- OCA headquarters: Kuwait City, Kuwait
- OCA President: Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani (Qatar)
- Motto: "Ever Onward"
- Frequency: every four years
- India has hosted: twice, 1951 and 1982 (both New Delhi)
- 20th Games: Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, 19 September to 4 October 2026; 469 events in 43 sports
- Next hosts: Doha, Qatar (2030) and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (2034)
- Top nation: China, first in the medal table at every Games since 1982
How it works
The OCA awards hosting rights and sets the sports programme, which mixes Olympic sports with Asian ones such as kabaddi, sepak takraw, wushu and cricket. Many events double as qualifiers for the next Olympics: for example, the hockey champions qualify directly for the Olympic tournament.
India's best hauls:
| Games | Rank | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 New Delhi | 2 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 51 |
| 2018 Jakarta–Palembang | 8 | 16 | 23 | 31 | 70 |
| 2022 Hangzhou (held 2023) | 4 | 28 | 38 | 40 | 106 |
| 2026 Aichi–Nagoya | 4 | 21 | 27 | 37 | 85 |
Hangzhou (106 medals) remains India's record; Aichi-Nagoya is its second-best total.
Timeline
- 1913: Far Eastern Championship Games, the forerunner, begin in Manila
- 1951: First Asian Games, New Delhi
- 1982: Second Delhi Games; OCA takes over
- 2023: Hangzhou Games (postponed from 2022 because of COVID-19); India crosses 100 medals for the first time
- 2026: 20th Games, Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
- 2030: Doha, Qatar
- 2034: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Recent developments
- 4 Oct 2026: The Aichi-Nagoya Games ended with India fourth on 85 medals (21 gold, 27 silver, 37 bronze), ahead of Uzbekistan on silver medals. China topped the table with 341 medals (169 gold), followed by Japan and South Korea.
- 2–3 Oct 2026: India won both hockey golds at the same Asian Games for the first time: the women beat China 1–0 and the men beat Malaysia 5–1. Both teams qualified directly for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Exam traps
- The OCA is headquartered in Kuwait City; the Commonwealth Games Federation is in London.
- The first Asian Games were in New Delhi (1951), not Tokyo; Tokyo hosted in 1958.
- The 2022 Games were held in 2023 in Hangzhou but are still called the 2022 Games.
- India's best rank is 2nd (1951); its best medal count is 106 (Hangzhou).
- Doha hosts in 2030 and Riyadh in 2034; Doha has hosted once before (2006).
Quick check
- Q: Where is the Olympic Council of Asia headquartered? A: Kuwait City.
- Q: Where were the first Asian Games held? A: New Delhi, 1951.
- Q: How many medals did India win at Aichi-Nagoya 2026? A: 85 (21 gold, 27 silver, 37 bronze).
In the news
Every time this topic has appeared in our current affairs, newest first:
- Week of 1–7 October 2026India finish fourth at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 85 medals
- Week of 1–7 October 2026Hockey double: India's men and women both win Asian Games gold