External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday congratulated the Indian Men’s Hockey Team for their emphatic victory at the Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir, Bihar, praising their “skills, dedication and team spirit.”
India lifted the prestigious Asia Cup trophy after an eight-year gap by defeating defending champions South Korea 4-1 in the final at the Rajgir Sports Complex. The packed stadium witnessed electrifying scenes as the home crowd celebrated the landmark win, which also secured India a berth at the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Harmanpreet Singh’s men produced a commanding performance with goals from Sukhjeet Singh (1’), Dilpreet Singh (28’, 45’), and Amit Rohidas (50’). The victory marked India’s first Asia Cup title since 2017 in Dhaka.
Following the triumph, Hockey India announced cash rewards of ₹3 lakh each for the players and ₹1.5 lakh for the support staff.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also lauded the team, calling it a proud moment for Indian hockey. “This victory is even more special as it came against the defending champions. May our players continue to scale greater heights and bring more glory to the nation,” he said in a post on X.
