The 2026 Commonwealth Games officially kick off in Glasgow today, with Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu carrying the Indian flag and Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain serving as India's baton bearer at the opening ceremony.
But this edition of the Games isn't quite like previous ones.
The event has been scaled down to just 10 sports, making Glasgow 2026 one of the most compact Commonwealth Games in recent history.
One of the biggest talking points is indoor bowls. Instead of traditional outdoor lawn bowls, the competition will be played on portable rinks inside the Scottish Event Campus (SEC)—a fresh twist on the sport where India enjoyed a breakthrough at the 2022 Birmingham Games, winning a historic gold and silver.
Despite the smaller schedule, expectations remain high for India's contingent. With stars like Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain, and several other medal contenders in action, fans will be hoping for another memorable campaign.
The Games may look different this time—but for India's athletes, the goal remains exactly the same: bring home the medals.