On 1–2 May 2026, Ukraine continued its active engagement with the Vibrant Gujarat platform by taking part in the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference held in Surat, Gujarat.
The conference was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, and brought together representatives of government, business, industry, education, and international cooperation platforms.
Speaking during the inaugural session, H.E. Dr. Oleksandr Polishchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine to India, underlined the importance of further strengthening Ukraine–India relations, particularly in the economic sphere. He noted that the opening of the Consulate General of Ukraine in Mumbai in 2025 marked an important step towards deepening Ukraine’s practical engagement with India’s economically dynamic western states, including Gujarat, and promoting trade, investment, and business-to-business cooperation.
Following the inaugural session, Ambassador Polishchuk held a bilateral meeting with the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel. The sides discussed areas of cooperation between Ukraine and the State of Gujarat, including in trade, industry, education, and people-to-people ties.
As part of the conference, the Indo-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IUCCI), together with the Ukraine Education Hub (UEH) and with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in India, organised the Ukraine Country Seminar “India x Ukraine 2.0 — The Next Big Opportunity”.
The seminar focused on new opportunities for India–Ukraine cooperation in education, trade, workforce mobility, institutional partnerships, reconstruction, and future-oriented economic engagement.
A special address was delivered online by Hon’ble Mr. Mykola Trofymenko, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, who presented Ukraine’s longstanding tradition of high-quality higher education and highlighted opportunities for Indian students in Ukrainian universities, including in medicine, aviation, economics, engineering, and other fields.
The seminar featured remarks by Mr. Armie Channa, Co-Founder and President of IUCCI; Ms. Tanya Channa, Co-Founder and CEO of the Ukraine Education Hub; Ms. Anna Zaichenko, Acting Consul General of Ukraine in Mumbai; Ms. Olena Rymaruk, International Executive at MENA International, who joined online; and Mr. Nagender Parashar, Founder of Parashar Industries, a company producing innovative components for prostheses for amputated limbs, who also joined online.
Concluding the seminar, Ambassador Polishchuk reaffirmed Ukraine’s interest in building long-term and sustainable partnerships with India in education, trade, workforce development, and institutional cooperation.
During his visit to Gujarat, Ambassador Polishchuk also visited local manufacturing facilities. Gujarat, as one of India’s leading economic and industrial centres, offers significant potential for the further development of Ukraine–India trade and economic cooperation.
Ukraine became a Partner Country of the Vibrant Gujarat platform in 2024 and has since continued to participate actively in its events, using this important platform to promote practical cooperation with India in the fields of economy, education, innovation, and people-to-people ties.