New Delhi, Nov 27 : The executive committee of the Asian Shooting Confederation (ASC) has awarded the hosting rights for the Asian Rifle/Pistol Cup 2026 to India, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has announced.

The letter from Eng. Duaij AlOtaibi, secretary General, ASC, the host federation has been asked to inform the continental body of the proposed dates for the same, NRAI said in a release.

"We are pleased to inform you that the Executive Committee of Asian Shooting Confederation (ASC) has decided to grant the hosting rights of "Asian Rifle/Pistol Cup 2026" to your esteemed shooting association. We congratulate you on this occasion and wish you the very best in preparations and successful organisation of this competition," ASC wrote in a letter to K Sultan Singh, secretary General, NRAI.

"We kindly ask you to inform us on the proposed dates for organizing Asian Rifle/Pistol Cup in the year 2026, considering other ASC/ISSF events and ASC Constitution & General Regulations," it read.

Reacting to the development, K. Sultan Singh said, 'We are delighted to have been allotted yet another top international Shooting competition. We are extremely grateful to the executive committee of the ASC and assure them of putting our best foot forward as always."

India had previously hosted the 8th Asian Air Gun competition in the year 2015 followed by the Asian Olympic Qualifiers a year later. In the same period, India has also hosted a total of six top International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) competitions additionally, including two World Cup Finals, the most recent being the ISSF World Cup Final Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun held last month in New Delhi.

'It is yet another proof of the stature of Indian shooting in the international circuit and we are extremely pleased that our top guns will get another opportunity to sharpen their aim in front of home fans against the best in the world. We thank the Government of India, the Ministry of Sports and the Sports Authority of India for the continuous encouragement and support that they have been providing to Indian shooting in all its endeavors," NRAI president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo said.

/IANS