The opening ceremony of the 2018 Asian Games at Jakarta in Indonesia is scheduled to start at 5.30pm IST on Saturday. The event will be held at the Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta.
The 2018 Asian Games will be unique for the fact that two cities—Jakarta and Palembang—will be hosting the event. The opening ceremony is expected to showcase Indonesia's cultural heritage and natural wealth. Popular Indonesian singers such as Anggun and Raisa are scheduled to be key performers at the event.
The Indian contingent for the 2018 Asian Games consists of 804 people, though only 572 of these are athletes. India's build-up for the Asian Games has been criticised following disputes over court cases and selection controversies.
India won 57 medals in the last Asian Games at Incheon, including 11 gold medals. The country will be hoping to match its performance in the recent Commonwealth Games in Australia, though the Asian Games are expected to be tougher given the presence of powerhouses such as China, Japan and South Korea.
(With PTI inputs)