Indian expats and missions in UAE gear up for nation's 80th Independence Day celebrations

Abu Dhabi/ Dubai: The Indian expat community in the UAE is gearing up for a series of events to mark India's 80th Independence Day, with the Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of India in Dubai both hosting onsite celebrations on August 15 and online events in the run up to the milestone day.

Both missions have invited the Indian community and friends of India to attend the celebrations, which begin at 6.30am. The flag hoisting ceremony will take place at 7am at both the Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai.

The Indian Ambassador to the UAE Dr Deepak Mittal will unfurl the tricolour flag at the Embassy while the Consul General of India Dr E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy will do the same at the Consulate.

The Independence Day marks the end of British rule on August 15, 1947, and the birth of the country as a free nation. Official flag hoisting ceremonies at Indian missions and community associations here are held every year to commemorate the day.

Surya Path Tiranga relay

This year, a new initiative, Surya Path Tiranga, will see a symbolic global relay of flag hoisting across Indian missions and posts abroad, tracing the path of the rising sun from east to west across different time zones, said Dr Reddy.

The digital relay will connect Indian missions from Fiji to the United States, celebrating the national flag through a coordinated worldwide showcase, he said.

Har Ghar Tiranga drive

Alongside the flag day events, the government of India has rolled out a series of initiatives to mark the milestone anniversary.

Launched to commemorating 75 years of India's independence, the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign this year began on Sunday, 9 August, and runs until 17 August 2026.

Under the Ministry of Culture initiative, Indians are encouraged to hoist the Tricolour at their homes, take a selfie with the flag and upload it at harghartiranga.com.

In line with the Flag Code of India, the Tricolour can now stay hoisted at homes both day and night. The missions here have urged the 4.5-million-strong Indian expat community in the UAE also to take part by hoisting the national flag at home and sharing their photos online.

150 years of Vande Mataram

This year's celebrations also mark 150 years of Vande Mataram, with collective singing of the national song planned at patriotic cultural programmes as part of the festivities.

Indians are encouraged sing Vande Mataram using the learning tutorial on the harghartiranga website.

Bharat Ko Janiye quiz

The annual Independence Day edition of the Bharat Ko Janiye quiz, 2026, will test how well non-resident Indians, persons of Indian origin and foreign nationals know India, with participants given three minutes and 30 seconds to answer 10 questions.

The top winner from the UAE will receive a prize from the Consulate General of India in Dubai on 15 August, while the top five participants from the UAE will be felicitated during the Independence Day celebrations at the Embassy/ Consulate.

#MyIndiaMyStory reels

The missions here have also launched the #MyIndiaMyStory campaign, inviting Indian expats to share their most memorable experiences of India, from its people and culture to its cuisine and landscapes.

In Dubai and Northern Emirates, participants are asked to create a 30-second reel and post it on Instagram, tagging @india_in_dubai and using the hashtags #MyIndiaMyStory, #IndiaInDubai and #IndependenceDay2026.

The most inspiring entries will be showcased on the consulate's official social media platforms.

The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi is running a similar drive under the hashtag #IndiaInUAE, asking participants to share a one-minute reel on what India means to them and tag @india_in_uae.

Selected entries will be featured on the Embassy's official social media platforms.