The Chinese shone at the 2010 Games in Guangzhou, earning a record 199 golds - breaking their own record of 183 set in Beijing in 1990.
China, South Korea and Japan were responsible for more than two-thirds of the gold medals distributed four years ago, although 29 nations had representatives stand atop the podium.
Despite India's 1.2billion-plus population, they only took home 14 gold medals and 65 medals overall from Guangzhou - well shy of China's 416.
However, one sport in which medals will be particularly hard to come by - wrestling - is one India are eyeing off success in.
Yogeshwar Dutt won bronze at the London Olympic Games in 2012, and topped the podium at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and he is looking to replicate his success in the freestyle discipline (65 kilograms).
Yogeshwar, 31, will lead the team in the absence of Sushil Kumar - a silver medallist in London - who is sidelined by a shoulder injury.
"We have trained very well. The squad will miss Sushil's presence," Yogeshwar said.
"But we are still expecting around four to five medals in freestyle and this includes some gold medals too.
"In wrestling, an Asian Games medal is like winning the World Championship."
Meanwhile, China's table tennis coach Liu Guoliang had some stern words for world and Olympic champion Zhang Jike ahead of the tournament's opening on September 27.
"I gave him some reminders and even warnings about his position," Liu said.
"In the nearly two-year period to Rio, the competition will be fierce. He really can't make a mistake."
No less than 36 sports will be contested by about 13,000 athletes from 45 Olympic Council of Asia states.
Non-Olympic sports that will be competed in include cricket, Kabaddi (wrestling), Sepak takraw (kick volleyball) and Wushu (Chinese martial arts).