Indian archery marked a decisive shift in performances this year, finally moving beyond years of near misses and unfulfilled promise. Indian archers not only delivered results but also consistently challenged traditional powerhouses like South Korea, signalling a genuine rise on the world stage.
What stood out in 2025 was consistency. Indian archers were no longer producing one-off performances; they delivered across tournaments, formats, and conditions. Both recurve and compound archers shared the spotlight, reflecting the growing balance and depth within the national setup.
Recurve archers step out of the shadow
Recurve archers, often criticised for struggling under pressure, silenced many doubters this year. They stood toe-to-toe with the world’s best, producing composed performances on global stages and matching the standards long set by their compound counterparts.
While Indian compound archers continued to dominate World Cup stages and secure medals, the resurgence of recurve archery marked a major psychological breakthrough, one that could redefine India’s Olympic prospects.
Youth, depth and healthy competition
The year also saw young archers taking centre stage. Unlike earlier seasons dominated by a fixed core group, new faces emerged as match winners, creating genuine internal competition.
Advancements in equipment technology, combined with stronger grassroots pathways, have raised overall standards. As a result, national trials have become tougher, squad selection more competitive, and performance benchmarks higher. This growing depth has also ensured that injuries or dips in form no longer derail entire campaigns, with performances being evenly distributed across the squad.
Women archers leading the charge
Indian women archers were among the standout performers of the year, delivering under intense pressure across both recurve and compound events.
Ankita Bhakat produced one of the most historic moments of Indian archery by winning the women’s recurve individual gold at the Asian Archery Championships, defeating South Korea’s Nam Su-hyeon, the Paris Olympics silver medallist, 7-3 in the final. In doing so, Bhakat became India’s first-ever Asian Recurve Champion.
Her campaign included a victory over veteran compatriot Deepika Kumari in the semifinals, while Sangeeta clinched the bronze medal in the individual event.
In compound archery, senior campaigner Jyothi Surekha Vennam once again led from the front. She secured two gold medals at the Asian Championships in Dhaka – one in the women’s team event and another in the individual category. Prithika Pradeep added a silver medal after an all-Indian final.
Deepshikha, who topped the ranking round with an impressive 705 score, partnered Abhishek Verma to win gold in the mixed team event, underlining India’s dominance in compound archery.
Dominant display at Asian Archery Championships, Dhaka
India delivered one of its strongest-ever all-round performances at the Asian Archery Championships, finishing at the top of the medal table with around 10 medals. Yashdeep Sanjay Bhoge and Deepshikha topped qualification rounds, highlighting India’s depth right from the ranking stages.
Alongside Bhakat, Dhiraj Bommadevara created history by winning the men’s recurve individual gold, with compatriot Rahul taking silver — an all-Indian final rarely seen in recurve archery.
The Indian men’s recurve team also produced a landmark result, defeating Korean powerhouses Seo Mingi, Kim Yeachan and Jang Jiho in a tense shoot-off to clinch silver. This marked India’s first men’s recurve team medal at the Asian Championships since 2007.
In compound, the men’s team comprising Abhishek Verma, Sahil Jadhav and Prathamesh Fuge secured a silver medal, finishing runners-up to Kazakhstan.
Better support, better preparation
Behind the results lay visible improvements in preparation and planning. Indian archers benefitted from enhanced exposure to international competition, better access to sports science, physiotherapy, mental conditioning, and a busier domestic calendar through national ranking tournaments and Khelo India initiatives.
A major boost came from the inaugural season of the Archery Premier League (APL), held in New Delhi in October. Designed to bridge the gap between domestic and international competition, the league featured global stars such as Brady Ellison, Mike Schloesser, Ella Gibson and Mete Gazoz.
Indian stalwarts including Abhishek Verma, Atanu Das, Deepika Kumari and Jyothi Surekha headlined the competition. The APL’s innovative format, blending recurve and compound archers, with one male and one female from each discipline per team, added a refreshing competitive edge.
Several archers benefitted directly from the experience. Speaking after her gold-medal win in Dhaka, Ankita Bhakat said:
“I’m so happy; this is my biggest win ever in individual events. Playing in the Archery Premier League boosted my confidence. I enjoyed shooting today.”
The increased international exposure has visibly narrowed the gap between Indian archers and traditional powerhouses like South Korea and the USA. The league’s impact was further recognised when the APL won the Emerging Professional Sports Event of the Year at the India Sports Awards 2025.
Para athletes in action
Indian archery’s rise was also reflected in para-sport. Sheetal Devi, born without arms, captured the nation’s imagination with her grit and determination. She became world champion in para archery in 2025 and made history by becoming the first para archer to qualify for an able-bodied international event.
The Olympic question still looms
While performances have raised expectations, the Olympics remain the ultimate test. Indian archers have often struggled under the unique pressure of the Games, despite strong form elsewhere.
They have proven they can win on the world stage, the challenge now is to replicate that composure when margins are razor thin and stakes are highest. With the Asian Games in 2026 approaching, performances there will play a crucial role in shaping the road to Los Angeles 2028.
The road ahead: Turning promise into legacy
If 2025 was the breakthrough, the years ahead must be about conversion. India has the talent, depth and improving infrastructure. What remains is continuity – trusting proven systems, managing workloads, and resisting last-minute changes before major tournaments.
Indian archery feels like one steadily building a legacy – arrow by arrow. And if the lessons of 2025 are carried forward, Indian archery may finally be ready to turn long-standing promise into Olympic history.