The Indian Embassy in Ukraine held a ceremonial event in Kyiv to mark India’s 80th Independence Day. The celebration took place at India House and was attended by representatives of the Indian community, Ukrainian government agencies, the business sector, the cultural sector, and civil society organizations.
At the ceremony, the recently appointed Indian Ambassador to Ukraine, Anjani Kumar, raised the national flag and read a message from Indian President Draupadi Murmu to those in attendance on the occasion of the holiday.
The event was attended by members of the Indian community living in Ukraine—including students and entrepreneurs—as well as representatives of Ukrainian government agencies, politicians, Indologists, writers, dancers, representatives of cultural and spiritual organizations, and Ukrainian friends of India. The embassy described the guest list as a broad representation of people connected to Indian-Ukrainian cultural and civic relations.
Anjani Kumar was appointed India’s new ambassador to Ukraine by a decision of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on July 8, 2026. On August 10, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Oleksandr Mishchenko accepted copies of his credentials from him.
In an address on the eve of Independence Day, President Draupadi Murmu emphasized that India is moving toward its goal of becoming a developed nation by the centennial of its independence, and that development must provide opportunities for all segments of the population. She particularly highlighted the contributions of students, scholars, engineers, doctors, workers, farmers, entrepreneurs, and the Indian diaspora to the nation’s development.
“The true meaning of freedom lies in ensuring that all citizens can seize opportunities to realize their aspirations,” the President of India stated in her address to the nation.
Murmur also highlighted the role of Indians living abroad and diplomatic mission staff in strengthening the country’s international standing. Among the priorities for further development, she cited digitalization, economic growth, expanding opportunities for women and youth, developing modern infrastructure, and preserving cultural heritage.
India gained independence from Great Britain on August 15, 1947. Therefore, in 2026, the country will celebrate its 80th Independence Day, even though 79 years have passed since independence was achieved: the 1947 celebration is considered the first Independence Day. Indian authorities are referring to this year’s celebration specifically as the 80th Independence Day.
The holiday is one of India’s major national holidays. The central ceremony is traditionally held in Delhi, where the prime minister raises the national flag near the Red Fort and delivers an address to the nation.
India was among the first countries to recognize Ukraine’s independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were officially established on January 17, 1992.
The Indian Embassy in Kyiv began operations in May 1992. Prior to that, India had a Consulate General in Odesa, which had been operating since 1962 and was closed in 1999.
The Embassy of Ukraine in New Delhi was opened in February 1993 and became one of the first diplomatic missions of independent Ukraine in Asia. It continues to represent Ukraine’s interests in India and to develop political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian ties between the two countries.
Oleksandr Mishchenko, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, accepted copies of the credentials from Anjani Kumar, the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of India to Ukraine. According to the press service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the parties emphasized the importance of further developing bilateral cooperation and maintaining regular political dialogue at all levels.
The Deputy Minister emphasized Ukraine’s expectations that India play a more active role in promoting the restoration of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and in holding the aggressor state accountable for the crimes it has committed.
“The parties discussed the agenda for upcoming high-level events, particularly in the context of implementing the agreements reached during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ukraine on August 23, 2024,” the statement reads.
Special attention was paid to the development of interparliamentary cooperation and the further strengthening of collaboration in the humanitarian sphere. The parties also discussed ways to intensify bilateral economic cooperation and restore positive momentum in contacts between business representatives of the two countries.
“Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue active cooperation and promote the further development of Ukrainian-Indian relations in areas of mutual interest. Oleksandr Mishchenko wished the Ambassador of the Republic of India success in his diplomatic mission in Ukraine and the achievement of significant results for the benefit of both countries and their peoples,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added.
Ukrainian IT services company SoftServe announced the completion of its acquisition of the Indian technology services company NewVision Software, which specializes in software development and the modernization of IT infrastructure based on cloud technologies, according to a company press release published on Tuesday.
As part of the deal, more than 700 engineers will join SoftServe. Among others, NewVision Software CEO Kapil Godani and Co-Chairman of the Board Balan Ramaswami will also join the company.
It is noted that NewVision Software will continue to operate under its own brand as a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftServe.
According to Andriy Stitsyuk, SoftServe’s Chief Financial and Operating Officer, an increasing number of the company’s clients are developing large-scale GCCs (Global Capability Centers) in India, where business decisions are made and engineering development takes place.
“Being alongside these teams in the same time zones and work environment allows SoftServe to co-create solutions in real time and respond quickly to new opportunities,” Stitsyuk is quoted as saying in the press release.
“In SoftServe, we have found a partner that shares this vision and combines world-class engineering expertise with a deep commitment to client success. Together, we can offer clients broader capabilities, greater scale, and confidence in implementing AI initiatives, while maintaining the level of partnership and engagement for which our teams are renowned,” said Kapil Godani, CEO of NewVision Software, in the press release.
SoftServe is a global digital engineering and technology consulting firm specializing in AI, data, and cloud solutions. The company was founded in 1993 in Lviv. Approximately 10,000 employees work in 49 offices around the world. Taras Kitsmey, Yaroslav Lyubinets, Oleg Denis, Yuriy Vasylyk, and Taras Verveha are co-owners of the IT services company SoftServe; Harry Propper serves as CEO.
NewVision Software is an IT consulting and technology services company specializing in software development, intelligent managed services, product engineering, and agentic assurance. NewVision Software’s headquarters are located in Pune, India.
Indian citizens became the largest group of foreign real estate buyers in Dubai in 2026, according to data from the DXB Interact platform, as reported by Gulf Today and Khaleej Times.
According to DXB Interact, Indian buyers accounted for 20.59% of total real estate purchases in the emirate as of late February 2026. In a Khaleej Times article citing Harbor Real Estate and DXB Interact, this figure was rounded to 20.6% as of early 2026.
Buyers from the United Kingdom ranked second with a share of 13.26–13.3%, followed by Egyptian citizens in third place with 12.6%. Next came the United States—about 9%, Pakistan—6.9%, Saudi Arabia and Australia—5.7% each, Germany—about 4.2%, France—3.8%, and Canada—about 3%.
Just outside the top ten, according to DXB Interact, are the Netherlands with a 2.83% share, Russia at 2.5%, Morocco at 2.33%, Spain and Kuwait at 2.11% each, Turkey at 2.05%, and Nigeria at 1.89%.
Analysts attribute foreign buyers’ sustained interest in the Dubai market to political stability, the absence of income tax, the possibility of 100% foreign ownership of properties in freehold zones, and long-term residency programs, including the Golden Visa.
Compact apartments remain the most active segment of the market. According to the Khaleej Times, one-bedroom apartments accounted for 34.9% of sales, or 27,590 transactions; studios accounted for 23.4%, or 18,471 transactions; and two-bedroom apartments accounted for 20.7%, or 16,399 transactions. This demand reflects investors’ interest in liquid properties with a lower entry threshold and rental yield potential.
Among Dubai’s districts, Dubai Islands led in apartment sales with 8.4 billion dirhams, followed by Airport City with 7.2 billion dirhams and Business Bay with 6 billion dirhams. In the villas and buildings segment, Al Yalayis 1 took first place with 10.6 billion dirhams, while Me’aisem Second led the land plots segment with 10.1 billion dirhams.
Harbor Real Estate assesses the current situation as a transition of the Dubai market from a phase of rapid growth to a more sustainable cycle. According to the company, demand is increasingly being driven by end buyers and long-term investors, rather than short-term speculators.
An increase in supply could be an additional factor contributing to market stabilization. According to the Khaleej Times, citing a report by Harbor Real Estate, more than 160,000 residential units are scheduled for completion in 2026, although the actual number of units completed is expected to be significantly lower. For comparison: approximately 39,700 units were completed in 2025, and 30,500 in 2024
Regarding the Dubai real estate market, the ranking of foreign buyers shows that demand remains geographically diversified. India and the United Kingdom retain key positions, but buyers from the Middle East, North Africa, North America, Australia, and Europe also play a significant role. This reinforces Dubai’s status as one of the leading international centers for real estate investment.
Ukrainians’ attitudes toward India are characterized by a predominance of neutral assessments and a relatively low level of clearly defined positive or negative views. According to the results of a sociological survey conducted in March 2026 by the research company Active Group in collaboration with the Experts Club information and analytical center, 55.5% of respondents described their attitude as neutral, making India one of the countries with the least defined emotional perception among Ukrainians.
The share of positive assessments stands at 17.9%, which is slightly higher than the 16.0% recorded in August 2025. At the same time, negative attitudes have decreased from 26.3% to 23.5%, indicating a certain softening of critical assessments.
In the detailed breakdown of responses, 4.2% of respondents chose the “completely positive” option regarding India, while another 13.8% selected “mostly positive.” In contrast, 19.6% of respondents indicated a “mostly negative” attitude, and 4.0% — “completely negative.” Another 3.0% of respondents were undecided.
The high proportion of neutral assessments indicates India’s limited presence in the Ukrainian information and public sphere. For a significant portion of respondents, this country is not the subject of constant attention or active engagement, which makes it difficult to form a clear position. At the same time, the noticeable decline in negative assessments may indicate a gradual reduction in critical perceptions.
The dynamics of change between August 2025 and March 2026 are relatively moderate. The increase in positive assessments and the simultaneous decrease in negative ones signal a certain balancing of attitudes, but do not alter the overall picture: India remains a country that Ukrainians perceive more neutrally than emotionally.
It is also important to note that the ratio of positive to negative assessments remains close, albeit with a slight preponderance of the negative. This means that in the absence of active informational or economic interaction, public opinion forms slowly and lacks a clearly defined direction.
“Attitudes toward India are a telling example of how a neutral perception forms in cases of limited interaction. When a country lacks a constant presence in the information sphere or practical cooperation projects, public opinion remains vague. “That is why, to strengthen a positive perception, it is important to develop economic and humanitarian ties that create a sense of genuine partnership,” noted Maksym Urakin, founder of the Experts Club information and analytical center.
Thus, the survey results indicate that India does not yet belong to the group of countries with a clearly established positive image in Ukraine. At the same time, current trends open up opportunities for a gradual improvement in perception, provided there is more active interaction between the countries.
According to a study conducted by the Experts Club information and analytical center based on data from the State Customs Service, India ranks fifteenth in terms of total trade in goods with Ukraine, amounting to $2.62 billion. At the same time, imports of Indian goods are more than double exports from Ukraine, resulting in a negative bilateral trade balance.
The study was presented at the Interfax-Ukraine press center; the video can be viewed on the agency’s YouTube channel. The full version of the study can be found at this link on the Experts Club analytical center’s website.
ACTIVE GROUP, EXPERTS CLUB, INDIA, Pozniy, SOCIOLOGY, SURVEY, UKRAINE, URAKIN
In India, amid a severe shortage of liquefied petroleum gas, demand is growing for traditional fuels, including firewood and dried cow dung.
The crisis was triggered by disruptions in LPG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz amid the war in the Middle East. Reuters and other outlets report that India, where about 65% of cooking fuel relies on imports, is facing one of the most serious gas crises in recent decades, and authorities have already restricted industrial consumption to prioritize supplying households.
Amid the shortage, Indian media are reporting that some households and small businesses are returning to cheaper and more accessible fuel sources. In particular, the Times of India writes about the shift to coal, firewood, and kerosene in Jamshedpur, while Bloomberg notes a rise in biofuel sales.
According to the Times of India, commercial consumers in several Indian cities have faced a sharp rise in LPG prices, and supplies have either been cut or partially diverted to the black market. This has already led to higher costs for restaurants, bakeries, and small retailers, and some businesses have been forced to seek alternatives to gas.
