The Embassy of India in Ukraine held a formal reception to mark the 77th Republic Day.

On 26 January 2026, His Excellency Ravi Shankar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Ukraine, hosted a formal diplomatic reception on the occasion of the 77th Republic Day of India.

It was on 26 January 1950 that the Constitution of India came into force, marking the country’s transition from a British dominion to a sovereign, secular, democratic republic, and this day is celebrated as Republic Day in India.

The Constitution of India was adopted two years after the country gained independence, namely on 26 November 1949 (independence on 15 August 1947), and with amendments remains in force to this day.

In the 76 years since independence, India has become a sovereign, democratic and powerful state with the fastest growing large economy in the world (ranked fourth among all countries in the world in terms of nominal GDP ($4.5 trillion)), which testifies to the strengthening of its status as a world power.

The festive event was attended by heads of diplomatic missions of foreign states accredited in Ukraine, military attachés of foreign diplomatic missions accredited in Ukraine, representatives of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, a number of ministries, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleksandr Mishchenko, representatives of the Indian diaspora, and educators.

The Indian Ambassador to Ukraine warmly congratulated all those present on this important national holiday of democracy and emphasised the strong friendship and support between the two countries.

He stressed that despite the ongoing war, India remains one of Ukraine’s main trading partners and, looking to the future, there are also opportunities for new partnerships in areas such as digital public infrastructure, industry, manufacturing, green energy, new and promising technologies, and Indian companies are happy to play a role in Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery efforts.

The diplomat stated that India is ready to continue providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine. As part of the High Impact Community Development Projects, the Indian Embassy will finance a project worth $1.5 million to upgrade and modernise the surgical centre at the Zbarazh Central Hospital in Ternopil.

In his speech, the Ambassador also noted that India’s cultural, spiritual and linguistic heritage has been gaining wider acceptance in Ukraine in recent years, and that the bilateral cultural cooperation programme signed during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Ukraine provides a comprehensive framework for further cultural exchanges, academic scholarships and the deepening of people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

The head of the diplomatic mission expressed his hope for a speedy end to the war in Ukraine and the need to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with the principles of international law, including the UN Charter and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.

“Jai Hind (Hindi for ’Long live India!”)
Jai Bharat (Hindi for ‘Long live Bharat/India!’)
Glory to Ukraine!” With these words, Indian Ambassador to Ukraine Ravi Shankar concluded his speech.