Earlier, last year's runners-up, hosts United Arab Emrates (UAE), lost the opening match of the tournament 15-12, 5-15, 11-15, 16-17 to Sweden.

The Indians, who finished third in the 1997 Asian Championship, tonight in their second league engagement will meet Australia, which will more or less decide whether they will make it to the last four or not.

The Ukrainians, who have brought five of the players from the side which finished tenth in the World Championships, were never stretched against India in their Group `A' opener last night.

For the 1000-strong crowd of Indian expatriates which had turned up to watch the encounter at the Al Shehab Indoor Stadium here, it was a matter of some disappointment to see their side come a cropper against stronger and technically superior opponents.