Asian Games 2023 Opening Ceremony Highlights: Breathtaking display of technology captures hearts at Opening Ceremony

An opening ceremony that had glamour, culture, tradition and some spectacular technology integration! That's all we have for you from Asian Games 2023 Opening Ceremony! Stay tuned to Sportskeeda for the live coverage of all Indians at the Asian Games! Until we meet tomorrow early morning with some cracking action then, this is Team Sportskeeda, bidding you adieu! Good night!

An upbeat tune plays as it is announced that the Opening Ceremony of Asian Games 2023 comes to an end!

Colourful confetti has been released in the air! The players and dancers wave their hands in the air as a quartet of singers put up a performance.

The cauldron has been lit now using the ceremonial torch! Spectacular scenes as the digital person runs in with the digital torch in the stadium too!

The torch has been lit! Meanwhile, a digital figurine carrying a digital torch crosses the river next to the stadium!

The ceremonial torch is here! A Chinese Olympic champion swimmer carries it and completes a lap of honour. A table tennis player carries the second torch!

After another dance performance which displays a galaxy of stars, it is time for the younger generation to take over. The kids are on display now, singing a melodious song.

The AI-powered 3D technology is absolutely stunning! A semi-football covers the field, which is followed by a basketball and different equipments of various sports.

It is time for the virtual mascots to arrive! They jump around on a digital piano to create some lovely music, following which the outlines of various sport logos play in the background!

We return to an aqua-themed dance, with sails being shown while a pair of dancers are suspended in the air! The dance also seems to be aimed at importance of water and how it helps the Earth prosper!

The traditional dance is followed by the playing of the traditional instrument, Guqin!

A performance displaying the Chinese culture is underway now. With a stunning combination of outfits and technology, they promises to be an absolutely mesmerising show!

Some of the stunning visuals from the Asian Games opening ceremony! 👇

The player oaths are taken by two individuals on behalf of all the athletes at the Asian Games.

The Olympic Council of Asia flag is being hoisted. The official anthem of the Olympic Council of Asia plays as the entire stadium rises in attention.

Here's the Indian contingent walking out! 👇

President Xi Jinping officially declares the Asian Games underway. This is followed by a stunning display of fireworks that light up the night sky!

Next up is Raja Randhir Singh, Acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia. He wishes luck to the athletes, thanks the media and congratulates the organising committee for pulling it off despite it being postponed a year.

Gao Zhidan, President of the organising committee of Asian Games 2023, is addressing the audience next.

Some esteemed dignitaries are addressing the crowd that has gathered at the stadium.

And finally, we have the hosts - China. The most successful nation in Asian Games history. The biggest contingent at the 2023 Asian Games. The second-biggest Chinese Asian Games contingent of all time. The loudest cheer of the night. They seem to have it all tonight.

The Chinese are 26 Gold medals away from a total of 1500 and 314 total medals away from taking their tally to 3500. Both achievable targets in this edition, but it remains to be seen if they'll get to those milestones this time around.

And finally, China! The host nation's contingent walks out and the music changes! They have the largest contingent at this edition of the Asian Games. They are the most successful country in the history of the Asian Games and will be looking to retain that title!

Yemen come out are the last team to walk out before the massive host contingent. And before we speak about the Chinese, Yemen will want to improve on their two bronze medals (one each in Taekwondo and Wushu) this time around.

UAE and Uzbekistan have fairly large contingents of their own, as well. UAE, in particular, will be excited by the Games themselves. 3 of their 7 Asian Games golds came at the 2018 edition and they will want to improve on that.

The large contingent of Thailand walk out next. They will be aiming to make the most during this competition as they look to break some records!

Four time hosts, 1998 being the most recent of the lot, Thailand are Asian Games record holders in their own right.

Chinese Taipei make their way to the middle in their traditional outfits. Tajikistan's contingent is up next. Their flag is being waved around confidently by the flag bearer.

Saudi Arabia royally walk out to the middle amidst a big applause while Singapore and Sri Lanka follow them.

300 Asian Games medals between the three countries and they'll all be desperate to impress yet again. You'd expect Singapore to be the country to come out on top amongst these three, of course!

Always a pleasure to watch these parades at the opening ceremonies of these games. The athletes never fail to turn on the style and this edition has been no different. Oof!

War-stricken Palestine are out next. They have come out with some great enthusiasm as they look to take medals back home!

Oman are next and are followed by Pakistan, who receive a huge cheer in the stadium as well! They are donning white kurtas along with a dark green coloured sleeveless jacket.

Out come Nepal next in their traditional outfits! They are yet to win a Gold at the Asian Games and will be looking to end the drought here. They boast of a considerably large contingent too!

Nepal did manage a first on the continental stage in cricket at the Asia Cup by appearing in it. Can they now break their gold medal duck at the Asian Games? Only time can tell!

Mongolia walk out next with a massive contingent! They will be hungry to make a new record when it comes to their personal medal tally.

Maldives are out next! They've been competing since 1982 but are yet to win a medal. They will certainly be looking to get going in this edition!

A huge cheer as Macao, China make their way out. Watch out for their athletes in Wushu and Karate!

The Chinese audience have reserved a special cheer for special administrative regions of China. Hong Kong first, and Macao now.

Republic of Korea, boasting of one of the largest contingents, are out next and they are followed by Kyrgyzstan!

This is, in fact, Korea's largest ever contingent at a single Asian games. 867 athletes. Now, THAT is a massive number!

Jordan walk out and they're followed by Kazakhstan!

Japan's contingent makes their way out next. They have won above two hundred medals in multiple editions and will be looking to go one step further this year!

Speaking of their medal record, the Japanese stand second in the all-time medal tally with 1032 gold medals. Oof!

Out walk Indonesia next and they are closely followed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. They will be ones to watch out in multiple sports, including kabaddi, where the Iranian men's and women's team are defending champions.

And as good as Iran have been, one must acknowledge what Indonesia achieved at the 2018 Asian Games, one that they hosted. They finished 4th in the medal tally with 31 golds and a total of 98 medals.

The Indian contingent is here! The tricolour flies high as the athletes make their way out! Men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain are the flag-bearers for the Indian contingent.

Expectations of a billion people making its way out there. "Iss baar sau paar" says the commentator on air, further driving home the broadcaster's advertisement campaign for this edition of the Asian Games.

Hong Kong, China are up next. A massive cheer goes around the stadium for them! They have brought along quite a large contingent and it will be a home advantage for them!

185 athletes from the People's Republic of Korea are up next! They will be eyeing plenty of medals in this edition as well.

Cambodia make their way with quite a large contingent!

Bhutan are up next. They have been a part of every single Asian Games edition but they are yet to win a medal. You wouldn't guess that by how smart they look in their ghos and keras, of course.

The Bahrain contingent follows! Although it is a short one, they will be hoping to make a mark in these Asian Games!

The Afghanistani contingent is the first one out. Plenty of stories in there, of course. The Taliban, who are ruling in the country, have sent a 130 person-strong all-male contingent. However, a second contingent, with 17 women from the Afghanistani diaspora across the world will also represent the country at the games. Will be interesting to see how they perform at the Games.

Here's all you need to know about the mascots of Asian Games 2023 and what they signify! 👇

Who are the 2023 Asian Games mascots and what do they signify?

The opening ceremony is well and truly under way with hordes of dancers making their way out into the middle and welcoming the Asian Games mascots. "Spectacle" was the word used by one of the commentators on air, and rightly so!