Sports

However, this year's edition will be considerably smaller than the previous Games. The budget has been cut by nearly 60 per cent compared to the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, while several major sports, including wrestling, hockey, table tennis, badminton and shooting, have been excluded. This is a major setback for India, as the country won 61 medals in Birmingham, with a significant number coming from these disciplines.

With several of India's traditional medal-winning events missing, the country's hopes in Glasgow will largely depend on athletics, weightlifting and boxing. Among the biggest names in India's contingent is Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, who will compete in the men's javelin throw. However, the road to gold is unlikely to be easy. Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, who defeated Chopra to win gold at the Paris Olympics, remains a major threat. Sri Lanka's Rumesha Tharanga will also be a strong contender after producing a throw of 92.62 metres to win the Diamond League event in Doha last month.

Apart from Neeraj, India will look towards high jumper Sarvesh Kushare, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar and triple jumper Praveen Chithravel for medals. The men's and women's 4x400m relay teams will also be hoping to make an impact. Indian athletes won eight medals in athletics at the Birmingham Games, but repeating that performance in Glasgow could prove difficult.

In weightlifting, all eyes will be on Mirabai Chanu. The Olympic silver medallist is aiming for a third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal, but she has struggled to find her best form in recent times. Still, her experience and record on the international stage make her one of India's strongest medal prospects. India's weightlifting campaign has also been hit by doping-related concerns, with the squad reduced to 11 athletes, making the challenge even tougher.

Boxing will be another key area for India. In the women's category, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain will be looking to win her first Commonwealth Games medal. Jasmine Lamboria, who claimed bronze in Birmingham, will also be among the medal contenders, along with Preeti Pawar, Sakshi Chaudhary and Arundhati Chaudhary. In men's boxing, Narender Berwal and Sachin Siwach will carry India's medal hopes.

India will also be looking to lawn bowls for success after the women's team created history by winning gold at the previous Commonwealth Games. The men's team also secured a medal in Birmingham, and another strong performance is expected in Glasgow. Indian judokas, who won three medals at the last Games, will also aim to maintain that momentum despite facing tougher competition.

India finished fourth in the medal table at Birmingham with 61 medals. With several key disciplines missing from the Glasgow programme, matching that tally will be a difficult task. The focus will therefore be on India's leading medal contenders, particularly Neeraj Chopra and Mirabai Chanu, as the country begins its campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games with hopes of continuing its strong sporting legacy.