‘Two nations, one heart’: IBPC Dubai celebrates India’s 80th Independence Day

Dubai: The Indian Business & Professional Council (IBPC Dubai), in partnership with the Consulate General of India in Dubai, celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day with an evening highlighting the country’s growing global influence and its increasingly close ties with the UAE.

Held at InterContinental Dubai Festival City on Saturday, the event brought together former Indian Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakashi Lekhi, Consul General of India to Dubai and the Northern Emirates Dr E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, senior UAE and Indian business leaders, entrepreneurs and members of the Indian community.

Themed “Two Nations, One Heart”, the celebration brought together business, technology and culture while highlighting the strong links between the two countries.

India-UAE ties enter a new phase

Opening the event, Siddharth Balachandran, Chairman of IBPC Dubai, said the relationship between India and the UAE had grown beyond a traditional bilateral partnership.

He said the ties between the two countries reflected a wider sense of cooperation and shared responsibility.

“I believe and love my country, but I also believe in the UAE, reinforced by a sense of empathy for the world at large,” Balachandran said. “I truly believe this is making us world citizens sans borders. Nowhere else is this more exemplified than in this room. India-UAE is the future.”

He said the relationship was built on the vision of the founding leaders of both countries and had continued to grow under their successors.

“The spark has become a raging fire — an aspiration for generational greatness. Long may this bilateral brotherhood continue,” he said.

Lekhi highlights India’s global influence

Delivering the keynote address, Meenakashi Lekhi highlighted the important role played by the Indian diaspora in the UAE and India’s growing influence around the world.

She said India’s strength lay not only in its economy but also in its culture, people and global reach.

“Our soft power is what sets us apart. The UAE represents tolerance and resilience; so does India,” Lekhi said.

She pointed to India’s contribution in areas including medicine, engineering, education, technology and business.

“If India does well, the world does well,” she said, adding that India’s scientific, economic and cultural strengths would continue to contribute to global peace and wellbeing.

Consul General points to strong trade ties

Dr E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy said the event’s theme reflected the depth of India-UAE relations, which he said were built on shared cultural links, maritime history and common values of tolerance and peace.

He also highlighted the strength of the economic relationship, noting that the UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner, while India is the UAE’s second-largest trading partner.

Reddy said he would continue working closely with the Indian business and professional community in Dubai.

“Dubai is truly the best city in the world,” he said.

The Consul General was felicitated by Balachandran and Sarah Al Muhaideb, Relations Manager, Business Relations for Business Groups, Dubai Chambers. IBPC Dubai founding members Mohan Valrani and Vijay Malhotra were also honoured.

Business leaders recognised for their contributions

The event recognised several business leaders for their contribution to the India-UAE economic relationship.

• Neeraj Makin, Senior Executive Vice President, Strategy, Analytics and Venture Capital, Emirates NBD, was honoured for leadership in banking, innovation and India-UAE economic development.

• Ahmed Yousef Al-Hassan, CEO and Managing Director, DP World GCC, was recognised for his contribution to ports, customs and global logistics.

• Saifuddin Rupawala, CEO of LuLu Retail Holdings, received recognition for his contribution to food security and essential supplies.

• The late Vasu Shroff, represented by his son Rajkumar Shroff, Chairman of Regal Group, was honoured for his philanthropic work.

Ramesh Ramakrishnan, Pravasi Bharatiya Award recipient and CEO of Transworld, spoke about IBPC Dubai’s changing role under the theme “New Era – Change with Continuity” (Nayi Disha, Wahi Virasat).

Title sponsor Eugene Mayne, Founder and CEO of Tristar Group, was also felicitated by IBPC Dubai governors Paras Shahdadpuri and Dinesh Kothari.

IBPC announces annual awards for 2027

The evening also marked a new chapter for IBPC Dubai, with Secretary General Dr Sahitya Chaturvedi announcing the IBPC Annual Awards 2027.

The awards, themed “Celebrating Excellence, Recognizing Impact, Inspiring Ambition”, will recognise achievements across eight categories, including business and professional leadership, young leadership, women’s leadership, sustainability and social impact, convenor excellence and member contributions.

Chaturvedi said the initiative reflected the council’s evolving membership and its growing ambitions.

Culture takes centre stage

The celebrations also featured a series of cultural performances.

Shriman Dhol Tasha opened the programme, followed by “Vande Mataram – Rang De Bharat”, a dance performance by Symphony Sargam marking 150 years of Vande Mataram.

The programme also included “Suron Ki Viraasat”, a tribute to legendary Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle.

The evening ended with a gala dinner attended by business, government and community leaders, with speakers emphasising that India-UAE relations are increasingly being shaped not only by shared history, but also by business, innovation and a common vision for the future.