In a move to boost agricultural cooperation, India and Ukraine held their first Joint Working Group meeting on June 18, 2025. Key discussions focused on seeds, food safety, digital tech, and Ukraine’s agricultural exports to India—including apples, meat, and dairy.
India and Ukraine have taken a significant step in strengthening their agri-sector partnership. The first-ever India-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Agriculture met virtually on June 18, 2025, opening new avenues for collaboration in seed production, oilseed cultivation, horticulture, agricultural mechanisation, digital technologies, fisheries, and food safety.
Hosted online, the meeting was co-chaired by Oksana Osmachko, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, and Ajit Kumar Sahu, Director at the Indian Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The session brought together key representatives from ministries and regulatory bodies of both nations, including India’s FSSAI, Department of Animal Husbandry, and the Ministry of External Affairs.
One of the highlights was the successful delivery of the first trial shipment of Ukrainian apples to India—marking a fresh beginning in Ukraine’s agricultural exports to the Indian market. Both sides discussed future prospects for importing meat and dairy products, showing India’s growing interest in diversifying its agri-import sources.
Ukraine was also invited to participate in World Food India 2025, a major agri-food event to be held in New Delhi from September 25 to 28. This exhibition could open new business doors for Ukrainian agri-companies and give Indian stakeholders access to high-quality Ukrainian produce and technology.
The meeting set the tone for deeper collaboration ahead of the 7th session of the Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC) planned later in 2025. Ukraine welcomed India’s willingness to engage practically in the agri-sector and sees this partnership as critical, especially amid global food supply disruptions and climate challenges.
This new partnership offers a win-win for both nations—India can gain access to Ukraine’s rich agricultural outputs and machinery, while Ukraine taps into one of the world’s largest consumer markets.