India's Surfers Look to Make Waves at the 2026 Asian Games

A small group of Indian surfers is preparing to compete at the 2026 Asian Games, having overcome considerable challenges to reach the continental stage in a sport that remains niche in the country.

Surfing has only a limited following in India, with few dedicated training facilities and modest institutional support compared to more established Asian surfing nations. Despite this, a handful of athletes have pushed through to qualify for the Games, drawing on self-funded training and informal coastal coaching networks.

Athletes involved say their participation at the Asian Games is itself a milestone, given the scarcity of resources available to the sport domestically. Many have balanced surfing with other jobs or studies while training along India's coastline in the absence of formal federation-backed programmes comparable to those in countries with longer surfing traditions.

Looking beyond the Asian Games, several of the surfers have said they hope to use the exposure to build toward a future Olympic appearance, with the 2028 Los Angeles Games seen as a longer-term target for the sport's growth in India.

Surfing has featured on the Olympic programme in recent editions, raising its profile among emerging surfing nations across Asia. Officials and athletes alike say a strong showing in the Asian Games could help attract further investment and attention to the sport in India.