AICHI-NAGOYA — India opened its account on Day 3 of the Asian Games 2026 with a stellar display of skill across multiple disciplines, adding crucial medals to its tally. The action-packed morning was highlighted by a strong performance at the shooting range and an impressive podium finish in mixed martial arts (MMA).

Shooting Trio Clinches Silver

The day started on a high note for the Indian contingent as the men’s 10m air rifle team—comprising Rudrankksh Patil, Himanshu Dhillon, and Parth Rakesh Mane—secured a brilliant silver medal. The trio combined for a total of 1890.1 points, finishing behind powerhouse China, which claimed the gold with a world-record score. Building on this momentum, individual finalists Rudrankksh Patil and Himanshu Dhillon advanced deep into the individual medal rounds, further solidifying India’s dominance in shooting.

Suchika Tariyal Claims MMA Bronze

In combat sports, Suchika Tariyal added a prestigious bronze medal to India's kitty. Tariyal put up a valiant fight in the women’s traditional -60kg semifinal against Singapore’s Teo Hui Hoon, narrowly missing out on the gold-medal match in a tense overtime battle to settle for a well-earned bronze.

Dominance in Table Tennis and Soft Tennis

On the table tennis front, the Indian women's team delivered a clinical performance, blanking arch-rivals Pakistan 3-0 to cruise into the quarterfinals. Paddlers like Sutirtha Mukherjee, young Syndrela Das, and Sreeja Akula made short work of their opponents without dropping a sweat.

Meanwhile, in soft tennis, the mixed doubles pair of Aadhya Tiwari and Jay Meena continued their fine form. After a dominant 5-0 victory over Cambodia's Viva Chao and Chanroseka Khun, the duo kept their composure to advance into the Round of 16 despite a narrow loss to South Korea later in the group stage.

Swimming and Other Events

In the swimming pool, ace swimmer Srihari Nataraj made the country proud by qualifying for the men’s 50m backstroke final, clocking 25.37 seconds in the heats. Other athletes across disciplines like sepaktakraw, wushu, and skeet shooting remained heavily engaged as India looked to scale higher positions in the overall medal table.