2 min readAug 4, 2026 06:15 AM IST First published on: Aug 4, 2026 at 06:15 AM ISTMedal hauls at Commonwealth Games aren’t always an accurate reflection of a country’s sporting prowess. The depth in competition in some events isn’t necessarily great, and a quality sportsperson doesn’t have to exert much to get on the podium. But even with that caveat, India’s performance in Glasgow is a step forward, especially when strong suits like shooting, wrestling, archery, hockey and badminton were not part of the truncated edition.Athletics is one area where India’s standards have visibly risen. The competition was tougher than in many other sports, but several glass ceilings were broken. Gulveer Singh winning medals in both the 5,000m and 10,000m — events traditionally a preserve of African runners — is heartening. Tejaswin Shankar finished on the decathlon podium a couple of days after withdrawing from the high jump due to a knee injury. Neeraj Chopra had to settle for the javelin silver medal, but Yash Vir Singh clinched bronze to show there is more than one Indian contender on the big stage.AdvertisementIndia was the dominant force in the boxing ring, bringing seven gold medals. The competition was mostly modest, but they still had to do the job. In judo, India made history by winning two landmark gold titles. In weightlifting, veteran Mirabai Chanu won her third straight gold medal, but the next generation of quality lifters has yet to make its presence felt on the international stage. The Asian Games in Japan next month will provide a sterner measure of India’s global competitiveness. Glasgow is best seen not as proof of arrival, but as evidence of a task well begun.