As the Glasgow Commonwealth Games concluded, India officially began the countdown to the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad with a vibrant handover ceremony celebrating the country's culture, heritage and modern identity through music, dance and storytelling.
During the closing ceremony at the OVO Hydro, Glasgow formally passed the Commonwealth Games baton to India. Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, representing King Charles III, declared the Games closed and invited athletes from across the Commonwealth to gather in Ahmedabad in four years for the centenary edition of the Games.
India's gold medallist boxer Jaismine Lamboria carried the national flag at the closing ceremony. The formal handover saw the Commonwealth Games flag passed through a series of dignitaries, including Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, officially transferring hosting rights from Scotland to India.
India's presentation then celebrated the country's culture and heritage through a three-act performance centred on the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam ("The World is One Family"), reflecting the Commonwealth's values of unity, friendship and shared humanity.
India's cultural showcase opened with a tribute to the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram, featuring actor Manushi Chhillar, vibrant choreography and music by Shankar Mahadevan. A film introduced Ahmedabad to global audiences, highlighting India's sporting heritage and Gujarat's blend of history, culture and modern development as the host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
The second act, The Cultural Jugalbandi, brought together Indian sitar maestro Rishab Sharma and Scottish musician Ross Ainslie in a symbolic musical collaboration celebrating the shared spirit of the outgoing and incoming hosts. The finale featured Shankar Mahadevan with his sons Siddharth and Shivam, alongside singer Bhoomi Trivedi, performing popular patriotic songs and a tribute to Gujarat.
The Indian presentation followed Glasgow's farewell celebration of Scottish music and dance. Scotland's wheelchair racer Melanie Woods received the David Dixon Award for outstanding performance, sportsmanship and contribution to her team during the Games.
India ends CWG campaign with 39 medals
India finished fourth in the medal standings at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with 39 medals, 13 gold, 17 silver and nine bronze, despite the absence of traditional medal-winning sports such as shooting, badminton, wrestling, hockey and table tennis.
Australia topped the table with 171 medals, followed by England (110) and Canada (62), while India edged hosts Scotland on a superior silver-medal count.
Athletics and para athletics led India's campaign with 16 medals, including three gold, while boxing delivered the biggest gold haul with seven titles and 10 medals overall. Weightlifting added nine medals, led by Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu's gold, while judo contributed four medals, including historic golds for Harsh Singh and Asmita Dey. India also secured a bronze in para powerlifting through Jhandu Kumar.
August 1 was India's most successful day at the Games, yielding 18 medals, including seven boxing golds and Neeraj Chopra's javelin silver, helping secure a fourth-place finish.
India added no medals on the final day, with judoka Ishroop Narang narrowly missing bronze and the remaining judokas and cyclists finishing outside the podium. Teenage para-cyclist Lisha Das brought India's campaign to a close with a sixth-place finish in the women's C4-C5 1000m time trial.
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Scotland, India boost trade ahead of Amdavad 2030
On the eve of the Commonwealth Games handover, Glasgow City Chambers hosted a Scotland–India business reception, bringing together government ministers, MPs, business leaders and senior trade representatives ahead of Gujarat officially taking over as host of the 2030 Games.
The reception, Scotland to Ahmedabad: The Commonwealth Commercial Corridor, was organised by UK India Bridge in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Held soon after the UK-India Free Trade Agreement came into force on 15 July 2026, the event highlighted growing opportunities for bilateral trade, investment and business collaboration.
The reception was opened by Glasgow's Lord Provost, Dr Jacqueline McLaren, who welcomed guests and highlighted the city's longstanding ties with India, ending her address with the slogan, "People Make Glasgow." Amit Chaudhary, Vice Consul of India in Edinburgh, urged businesses, investors and educators to translate the UK-India Free Trade Agreement into tangible economic opportunities and shared growth.
UK India Bridge Director Kishore Dattu described the Commonwealth Games handover as both a sporting and commercial milestone, stressing the importance of strengthening links between Scotland and India to drive future trade and investment. He was joined at the event by fellow director Nidhi Dwivedi.
The event brought together prominent figures including Alison Thewliss MSP, Martyn Day MP, Dr Scott Arthur MP, Rashmi Singh, Chair of FICCI, Shehla Hasan, Head of the Confederation of Indian Industry, and Charandeep Singh BEM, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce. Representatives from Salmon Scotland, Scottish airports, education and IT firms, along with Indian business delegations, also attended to discuss opportunities for greater trade and investment.
