Following their outstanding performance at the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship 2026 in India, where they secured a total of 76 medals comprising 39 gold, 18 silver, and 19 bronze, top Indian rifle and pistol shooters are now gearing up for the National Selection Trials 3 (Group A) at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting range in Delhi from March 6 to 10, 2026. The upcoming trials precede a busy international and domestic shooting calendar starting next month.
The National Selection Trials 3 will witness India’s elite shooters participating in 10 events, covering the eight Olympic events along with the rifle prone competitions for both men and women. Athletes will aim to achieve qualifying scores to stake their claim for a spot in the national squad for upcoming international competitions in the latter part of the year.
Simultaneously, Rifle/Pistol Selection Trials 3 and 4 for Group B athletes are set to kick off at the M.P. State Shooting Academy in Bhopal from March 6 to 22. Post the trials, the national squad members will engage in a coaching camp in New Delhi scheduled from March 10 to 21.
The training camp for shotgun athletes of the national squad has commenced in New Delhi, with skeet shooters being the first to report. The Trap shooters are expected to join the national camp on March 8. Following the national squad camp, a pre-event camp will be organized before the ISSF World Cup Shotgun, the first World Cup event of the year, to be held in Tangier, Morocco from March 21 to April 3.
Teams for the initial two Rifle/Pistol (Granada and Munich) and Shotgun (Tangier and Almaty) ISSF World Cup stages have already been announced. The commencement of the new Olympic cycle leading to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics is marked by the upcoming ISSF World Championship Doha 2026 in October–November, where the first quota places will be determined. The season will also feature the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, presenting Indian shooters with another significant opportunity to showcase their skills. As these key events approach, both local and international competitions will play a vital role in shaping team selections across rifle, pistol, and shotgun disciplines.
