The Embassy of India in Ukraine held a solemn reception in Kyiv in honor of the 75th anniversary of Republic Day

A solemn reception organized by the Embassy of India in Ukraine in honor of the 75th anniversary of Republic Day took place in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

The event brought together representatives of the Ukrainian authorities, the diplomatic corps, the Indian diaspora and the public. The guest of honor at the event was Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister Yevhen Perebyinis.

“On January 26, 1950, the Constitution of India came into force, marking our country’s transition to a sovereign, independent, democratic, secular republic. We are proud of the ideals of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity,” – said the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of India to Ukraine, Ravi Shankar.

In his speech, the diplomat emphasized the significance of Republic Day for the Indian people, stressing that over 75 years India has become one of the most dynamic economies in the world, which is preparing to become the third largest.

“Bold reforms, investment in infrastructure and innovations such as quantum technologies, artificial intelligence and space research make our country a key player in global processes. The biotechnology sector, in particular the Genome project, is also a priority area. The latest achievement should also be mentioned – docking in space, which put the country among the world’s top four leaders in this field,” – the ambassador noted.

Shankar devoted a significant part of his speech to Ukrainian-Indian relations. He recalled the historic visit of the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to Kyiv in August 2024, which became a “landmark milestone” for bilateral cooperation:

“We aim to transform our relations from a ‘Comprehensive partnership’ into a ‘Strategic partnership’. Particular attention is paid to humanitarian support for Ukraine. In particular, India has provided mobile hospitals ‘BHISHM Cubes’, which are now helping to promptly treat the wounded and save precious lives at the front, and has also decided to finance the project ‘Renovation and Modernization of the surgical department of the Zbarazh central hospital in Ternopil region, worth $1.5 million’,” — the ambassador said.

He stressed that India supports a comprehensive, just peace in accordance with international law.

The ambassador highly appreciated the growing interest of Ukrainians in Indian culture, language and traditions. He thanked Ukrainian students who study Hindi and stressed the importance of cultural exchanges. “The program signed last year opens up new opportunities for academic scholarships, international projects and the preservation of our shared heritage,” – Shankar noted.

At the end of the event, the guests enjoyed traditional Indian dishes and music. The event highlighted past achievements and the optimistic prospects for cooperation between India and Ukraine in the coming decades.

India recognized Ukraine’s independence on December 26, 1991. Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and India were established on January 17, 1992. Republic Day is a national holiday of India that marks the adoption of the Constitution of India and the country’s transition from the status of a British dominion to a republic on January 26, 1950.