R Vaishali defended her FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss title in 2025, securing a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament. She finished with 8 points after drawing against Tan Zhongyi. Vaishali joins Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh as the third Indian woman to qualify for the Candidates, marking a significant achievement for Indian women’s chess. Post navigation Asia Cup LIVE: Upbeat Sri Lanka face struggling Hong Kong Big blow for Afghanistan! Naveen-ul-Haq ruled out of Asia Cup 2025