In News:

India finished 4th at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and officially took over as the host nation for the centenary 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad during the closing ceremony.

India's Performance

India secured 39 medals (13 Gold, 17 Silver, 9 Bronze) to finish 4th, behind Australia, England, and Canada.

Despite fielding a reduced contingent of 122 athletes and the exclusion of traditional medal-rich sports such as shooting, wrestling, badminton, hockey, and table tennis, India achieved a higher medal conversion rate of 31%, compared to 29% at the Birmingham 2022 Games.

Major Highlights

• Boxing emerged as India's best-performing discipline with 10 medals (7 Gold, 3 Silver), recording the highest boxing gold tally by any nation at a single Commonwealth Games.
• India recorded its best-ever para campaign, winning 7 medals, equalling its combined tally from all previous editions.
• Mirabai Chanu became the first Indian weightlifter to win three consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medals (2018, 2022 and 2026).
• Asmita Dey and Harsh Singh became India's first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medallists in Judo.
• Tejaswin Shankar became the first Indian to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the decathlon, securing bronze.
• Gulveer Singh was India's only double medallist, winning silver in the 10,000 m and bronze in the 5,000 m.
• Neeraj Chopra won silver in the men's javelin throw after missing the 2022 edition.
• Women boxers delivered an outstanding performance by winning five gold medals, led by Sakshi Chaudhary, Preeti Pawar, JaismineLamboria, Priya Ghanghas, and Arundhati Choudhary.

In News:

The 23rd Commonwealth Games are being held in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 2 August 2026, with athletes from 74 nations and territories participating.

About the Commonwealth Games (CWG)

• The Commonwealth Games (CWG) is one of the world's largest multi-sport events, bringing together athletes from countries and territories of the Commonwealth of Nations, most of which are former British colonies.
• It is held once every four years and is governed by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).
• The idea of the Games originated from the 1911 Inter-Empire Championships held in London during the Festival of Empire.
• The concept was proposed by Canadian sportswriter Melville Marks Robinson, leading to the first official British Empire Games in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930. The event was renamed the Commonwealth Games in 1978.

Commonwealth Games 2026

• The 23rd edition is being hosted by Glasgow, Scotland, over a period of 10 days.
• This edition features 10 sports, significantly fewer than the 19 sports contested at the Birmingham 2022 Games. The events include athletics, swimming, boxing, weightlifting, judo, artistic gymnastics, track cycling, bowls, netball, and 3×3 basketball.

India at Commonwealth Games 2026

• India has fielded a 125-member contingent, including para-athletes.
• Indian athletes are competing in athletics, boxing, weightlifting, judo, artistic gymnastics, track cycling, bowls, swimming, and para-sports. India is not participating in 3×3 basketball and netball.
• India first participated in the Commonwealth Games in 1934. Its best-ever performance came at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, where it secured 101 medals.
• India will also host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, with Ahmedabad (Gujarat) selected as the host city.