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Rain, patriotic songs, and tricolour: UAE’s Indian community marks 77th Republic Day
For many in the crowd, the day was about more than diplomacy — it was deeply personal
- PUBLISHED: Mon 26 Jan 2026, 12:08 PM
- By:
- Nandini Sircar
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Despite steady morning rain and it being the first working day of the week, hundreds of Indian expats gathered early at the Indian Consulate in Dubai on Monday to mark India’s 77th Republic Day — many arriving with families, children in tow, and flags in hand.
At 7.15am, Consul General of India in Dubai Satish Kumar Sivan unfurled the tricolour, as community members stood quietly, some filming the moment, others simply watching with folded hands, and soaking in the moment.
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Similar ceremonies were held at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, followed by cultural programmes honouring freedom fighters — with special tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution.
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Speaking on the occasion, Sivan highlighted how far ties between India and the UAE have come. He said, “In 2025–26, the relationship reached several new milestones that reflect both ambition and shared vision. Bilateral trade between India and the UAE has already surpassed USD 100 billion, a remarkable achievement.”
He added that both countries have agreed to double this by 2032. “These gains are not abstract statistics — they represent jobs created, products traded, markets expanded, and livelihoods transformed.”
He also referred to the recent visit by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, saying agreements on energy, defence, space, and digital infrastructure show that the two nations are “co-creating a future shaped by innovation, resilience, and mutual prosperity.”
Far more than diplomacy
But for many in the crowd, the day was about more than diplomacy — it was deeply personal.
Sixteen-year-old Harsvartha Sathiskumar, from the Just Dance team, said performing at the Consulate always brings a sense of pride. “It feels so nice because you feel you are doing it for the nation and everyone supporting feels really good,” he said. “Everyone cheering in the crowd, makes you feel even more spirited.”
For 20-year-old Ashil D’Souza, it was her first Republic Day performance at the Consulate. “It felt very nice, everyone cheering. Through our dance, we were representing different states,” she said. Another young performer, Sahil, who has been dancing for 15 years and now teaches in the UAE, added, “People get emotional while performing, listening to the patriotic songs and watching the performances as we live away from our home country. The vibe was different today.”
Some performers were unable to take the stage
Not all performers made it on stage. JaiChitra Parasuraman, Manager at Just Dance, recounted how a group of students travelling from Ajman in their school bus, faced a road accident delay.
“At a U-turn, a car crashed into their bus. There were no injuries but they couldn’t reach here on time. They had practiced for nearly a month,” she said, adding that when they finally reached, “they could hear the last performance and they couldn’t perform as the programme was nearing its end.”
Vibrant celebrations across Indian schools
Across Indian schools in the UAE, Republic Day was marked with equal enthusiasm.
At The Indian High Group of Schools, CEO Punit MK Vasu said the celebrations were planned as “a profound tribute to the Indian Constitution,” integrating national themes such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram.
He noted, “This annual celebration witnessed the enthusiastic participation of over 7,000 students across the group of schools with over 15,000 parents, staff, and other special guests making this grand event stand out as one of the largest Republic Day events to be organised outside of India across the world. For the Indian disapora, the day is dedicated to everything that is India.”
At Shining Star International School, Principal Abhilasha Singh said the day began with a special assembly.
“We had a student speak on the important of Republic Day and Hindi Diwas together,” she said, adding that students also watched the Republic Day parade on Youtube in their classrooms, and performed a skit titled Guru Versus Google.
