~ Within Asia, India remained competitive, but the path to major events became tighter ~
New Delhi, December 31, 2025: The Indian women’s hockey team stormed through 2025 with an eye-catching silver medal at the Women’s Asia Cup, consolidating their place among Asia’s elite through fierce group battles and knockout dramas even as global tests tightened their lead on the road ahead.
After their stunning win at the 2024 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir – sealed with a narrow 1-0 win over China in the final – the Indian team entered 2025 with confidence and credibility as one of Asia’s top sides. Yet translating that success into consistent performance in 2025 proved to be a challenge.
Crucial international fame
India made a strong start to the year, starting with a five-match tour of Australia in late April, where the side secured valuable international exposure against Hockeyroos. Although India ended the campaign in Perth with mixed results – losing their first two matches 2-0 and 3-2 before claiming a spirited 1-0 win in the final encounter through Navneet Kaur’s 21st-minute strike – the tour proved instrumental in testing the squad against elite opposition and providing game time to emerging talents. These lessons would shape India’s performance throughout the year, culminating in a hard-fought Asia Cup Silver, which underlined the team’s consistency at continental level.
Mixed results in FIH Pro League
On the global front, the 2024-2025 FIH Hockey Pro League proved to be a difficult campaign for the Indian women’s team. Facing top-ranked opposition including Australia, Argentina, Belgium and China, India struggled for consistency and finished last in the standings with just 10 points from 16 matches. They recorded just two wins while losing 11, including a string of defeats in the last eight games that confirmed relegation to the FIH Nations Cup.
The season-ending 3-2 defeat to China in Berlin typified India’s campaign as the team showed fighting and attacking quality but were punished at crucial moments for defensive errors and missed chances. Nevertheless, a penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands, multiple encounters and flashes of brilliance from emerging talents underlined the team’s growing tactical knowledge and fitness, paving the way for refinement in key areas.
Furthermore, relegation to the Nations Cup is seen as a springboard for promotion, with a heightened emphasis on penalty corners and squad depth as they aim to win promotion back to the Pro League in the 2026-2027 cycle by winning the tournament.
Asia Cup Silver shows continental strength
Despite the absence of their penalty corner specialist Deepika and veteran goalkeeper Savita, India delivered a compelling campaign at the Women’s Asia Cup in China, coming through the group stage with convincing wins before progressing to the final, where they earned silver in a closely contested title clash with the home side. The run featured energetic performances, clinical penetration and standout contributions from a balanced line-up that kept goals conceded to a minimum.
This podium result reinforced India’s continued threat in Asian competitions, putting the team in a strong position for qualification pathways for major events such as the World Cup and beyond.
Evolving squad responds to tests
Young people integrated seamlessly alongside veterans and gained fame that accelerated their development under great pressure. The lessons from tight global margins have honed mental toughness and set-piece execution, evident in the balance in the Asia Cup.
Move forward with confidence
Eyes now turn to the FIH Nations Cup and World Cup qualifiers with targeted camps emphasizing analysis, defense and speed to improve performance. The Indian story of 2025 ends on an upward trajectory, combining Asian silverware with global lessons for a strong 2026.