Eight nations will compete for top honours in 23 disciplines, including newly-introduced cricket where the competition would be held in Twenty20 format in under-21 age group.
However, India, who have sent a 231-member male and 100-member female contingent, will not be participating in cricket in the 12-day sporting extravaganza.
Having ruled the roost with 118 gold, 69 silver and 47 bronze medals in the last edition four years back in Colombo, India would be eyeing for another encore here.
The Indians would also be keen to swell their medals tally in athletics, where 27 male and 13 female athletes are participating.
With a strong and experienced line-up in Olympians Tarundeep Rai, L Bombayla Devi and Dola Banerjee up its rank, the 10-member Indian archery team would be gunning for all the four gold medals up for grabs in the sport after having made a clean sweep in Colombo.
Published 28 January 2010, 16:22 IST