With a population of 1.4 billion, India has produced global success stories across science, technology, finance and space tech. Yet it has long struggled to translate its demographic strength into sporting success, producing fewer champions than countries whose populations are smaller than some of its states.Something special happened three years ago that began to change that perception. India crossed a psychological barrier at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, surprising many sceptics and showcasing the efforts of those who had worked tirelessly behind the scenes to build the country into a sporting powerhouse.Change takes time, especially in a country as vast as India, but the nation is steadily moving forward. India ended the Hangzhou campaign with a record 107 medals, with 28 golds, 38 silver and 41 bronze. One thing to note is that the medal count was subsequently revised to 106 after boxer Parveen Hooda lost her medal after being handed a 22-month suspension by the International Testing Agency (ITA).Now the big question is: can India deliver another surge of 100-plus medals in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games? Last time, India not only crossed the 100-medal mark but also finished fourth in the medal standings.Also Read | Asian Games 2026: What makes them different from the OlympicsNot a mere pushoverThis time, the Indian contingent faces a big task not only to replicate the previous performance but also to better it by a good margin. And there are reasons to believe that because new medal contenders have emerged from India, who are truly world-class, and their opponents cannot afford to take them lightly or become complacent against them.Hangzhou changed the benchmark for India, but if we go a bit back, India has been steadily improving in the continental event. At Incheon in 2014, India managed to win 57 medals, and that tally further rose to 69 at Jakarta in 2018 before India stunned many by winning 107 medals at Hangzhou in 2023.In Hangzhou, India made significant improvements in many sports. The athletics team won 29 medals, while big wins also came in other events which generally win medals for India, including shooting, boxing, badminton, wrestling and archery, among others.Also Read | Aichi-Nagoya 2026: Asian Games’ biggest stars and top countries to watchBig setbacks that hit India's medal chancesIndia has lost some of the firepower that was there in Hangzhou, as it suffered a huge setback this time due to the absence of its ace athlete Neeraj Chopra, who suffered an injury and was replaced by Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Yashvir Singh. Chopra's absence would certainly hurt India because he was one of the biggest medal contenders and was aiming for his third consecutive javelin gold in the men's event.India will also miss some of the top archers who made a big mark in terms of medals in Hangzhou. Experienced campaigner Atanu Das, who clinched silver in Hangzhou, could not qualify for the Japan Games, as he finished fourth in the 2026 national selection trials.Meanwhile, Ojas Pravin Deotale, who created history in Hangzhou with a triple-gold sweep, also failed in the selection trials. Another veteran archer, Abhishek Verma, who won gold and silver medals at the Hangzhou Games, failed to make it through the selection trials.The absence of these veterans will significantly hurt India's chances, but other players need to buck up and rise to the challenge to fill those spaces.Other stars, big hopesIf there are key stars missing from India's contingent, there are several rising athletes who have made a name for themselves and can certainly finish on the podium.Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, who won a gold medal in the women's 25m pistol team event in Hangzhou, is once again one of the biggest hopes for India.Another big medal contender is Aman Sehrawat, who won a bronze medal in freestyle wrestling in the 57kg category at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou and also won a bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Once again, he will be vying for a title.Another title hope is Mirabai Chanu, who is coming off as a Commonwealth Games champion. She finished fourth in the women's 49kg category at the Hangzhou Asian Games as a hip injury hampered her performance. But this time, she is fully fit to make her mark.Gulveer Singh is another medal contender and a double Commonwealth Games medallist. Gulveer created history at the Commonwealth Games 2026 by becoming the first Indian ever to win bronze in the men's 5,000m. He also won silver in the men's 10,000m, etching his name in the history books.In archery, India can pin hopes on Dhiraj Bommadevara, who won a silver medal for India in the men's recurve team event at the Hangzhou Games.In shooting, Esha Singh earned prominence in Hangzhou as she won four medals and emerged as India's most successful athlete in that event. Once again, she will be gunning for glory.India secured big medals in athletics, with 29 medals in total, including six golds in the last Asian Games. The country's strong athletics contingent has big names including Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Parul Chaudhary, Avinash Sable and Annu Rani, as they are all among those who aim to defend their individual Asian Games titles.Parul Chaudhary, who won a historic gold medal in the women's 5,000m and a silver medal in the women's 3,000m steeplechase at the Hangzhou Asian Games, has set a big target of winning three medals at the Japan Games. Meanwhile, India can win big in long-distance events, including other events such as throws, jumps and sprinting.Shooting, badminton could help India bolster its medal countOver the years, shooting has emerged as the most reliable discipline for India to win medals. The strong shooting contingent has both established and young players, experienced campaigners and new blood.Trap shooter Manisha Keer, a silver medallist at Hangzhou, must be aiming for gold this time. Meanwhile, Rudrankksh Patil, who couldn't win a medal in the 10m air rifle at Hangzhou, could make a difference this time as he would be competing in both the 10m air rifle and 50m 3-position events.In badminton, India has superstars in the contingent, with double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and rising stars Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty. There are 20 athletes in the badminton contingent for India, and the men's doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will be one of India's biggest medal hopes. They are coming off a title victory at the China Masters and will be defending their Asian Games gold.Hockey, cricket and kabaddiIn hockey, India has realistic medal chances, as the men's team remains a big medal hope. Meanwhile, the women's team is also not less than that. The women's team is coming off a fifth-place finish at the recently concluded World Cup. The women's team must be aiming for glory, as the team has not won gold since 1982.In cricket, India certainly has a big chance to win gold in both the men's and women's events. India will be up against their arch-rivals Pakistan, but other than that, there is not any other team that can pose a serious challenge.Kabaddi, which is a hugely popular sport in India, has remained India's go-to sport for gold in the Asian Games, but over the years, the field has become more competitive, with Japan and Iran showing great improvements.Both the men's and women's teams are attempting to defend their Hangzhou golds, and that should be relatively easier for India.Wrestling, boxing and weightliftingIn wrestling, India is taking 16 wrestlers, and some of the biggest medal hopes are World Championships bronze medallist Antim Panghal and Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat.In boxing, India has serious chances to win medals, with top contenders including Commonwealth Games silver medallists Lovlina Borgohain, Narendar Berwal and Jadumani Singh.India can hope to improve their medal tally as their contingent has enough firepower and talent to do that, and they can take the medal tally a lot higher this time.