Overview
- For measurable individual events, athletes must match or exceed the sixth-place performance from the last Asian Games at an international federation–recognised competition within the preceding 12 months.
- For team sports and team events, eligibility requires a top-eight finish at a recent Senior Asian Championships, a top-eight Asian ranking, or a top-eight finish among Asian nations at an equivalent competition.
- India’s men’s football team, ranked 24th in Asia, and the women’s side, ranked 12th, currently fall short of the benchmark and would need a formal relaxation to be cleared.
- The performance window is primarily 12 months, with a limited 24‑month allowance where Asian Championships are biennial, and results older than 24 months will not count.
- The ministry has ended ‘no cost to government’ entries, will scrutinise irregular or low‑standard events to prevent circumvention, and retains a relaxation clause for exceptions recommended by experts or SAI.