India news: West Bengal wakes to a new political reality

This blog is now closed. Below is a roundup of the major headlines from India on Tuesday, May 5:

Pakistan navy assists stranded Indian vessel in Arabian Sea

Pakistan's military on Tuesday responded to a distress call from an Indian vessel that suffered a technical failure in the Arabian Sea, the country's military said.

Seven crew ​members, six Indians and ​one ‌Indonesian, were aboard the MV Gautam was en ‌route from Oman to ‌India.

Pakistan's Navy said in a statement it dispatched a ship and provided technical support to stabilze the vessel along with food and medical assistance.

The statement said the operation underscored the Pakistani Navy's "committment to maritime safety and humanitarian responsibilities, irrespective of nationality."

Cabinet approves emergency credit guarantees for businesses amid West Asia conflict

The Indian government's Cabinet on Tuesday approved a new emergency credit guarantee program to support businesses — particularly small businesses — facing short-term liquidity issues linked to the war in Iran and the wider West Asia region.

The information minister said after a Cabinet meeting that the scheme, which the government hopes will free up billions in additional credit flows, had got the green light.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the move "reflects our commitment to supporting India's businesses, especially the [micro, small and medium enterprises] sector in challenging global times."

The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0 will provide credit support for eligible borrowers with the government offering guarantees of as much as 100% for small and medium businesses and up to 90% for larger companies and the airlines sector.

"The scheme aims to enable businesses to tide over the challenges arising from the West Asia conflict," the government said in a statement. "Additionally, this is expected to help businesses maintain their operations, protect jobs, and sustain supply chains."

Loans to businesses will run for five years with a one-year moratorium, the airline sector will be eligible for seven-year loans with a two-year moratorium.

Certain businesses like textile and glass makers are facing particular supply disruptions given the lack of shipping from the Gulf. Jet fuel prices are also rising sharply.

India is also the world's third-largest oil importer by volume, highly reliant on fuel shipments transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. This puts a general strain both on companies' energy needs and on inflation and growth more generally.

Indians fall back on polluting fuels amid gas crunch

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Mamata Banerjee claims moral victory In West Bengal, refuses to resign

Outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has refused to resign to make way for the next government, claiming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party has stolen the election.

Banerjee made the severe allegations at a press conference on Tuesday, a day after the BJP won a majority in the eastern state. The Hindu nationalist party is now expected to form a government and swear in a chief minister on May 9.

“If they think they will win by force and think I will go and give my resignation, that will not happen. We did not lose the elections. It is their forceful attempt to defeat us. Officially they can defeat us through the Election Commission. But morally I am telling you we won the election.” Banerjee told reporters.

“We did not lose, they have forcefully captured the state. The real villain is Election Commission,” she said.

Banerjee has also claimed she was assaulted at a counting station by BJP party workers.

The 71-year-old-leader has been in office for 15 years. Experts say she was voted out largely on anti-incumbency sentiments over mounting criticism of corruption and lack of economic opportunities in the state.

New West Bengal Chief Minister to be sworn in on May 9

BJP State President Samik Bhattacharya on Tuesday confirmed that the new West Bengal chief minister will be sworn in on Saturday, May 9.

However, it remains to be seen who the party picks for the top minister’s post in the state.

Indian media outlets report that Suvendu Adhikari, the man who beat current Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her own constituency, is the frontrunner.

The Hindustan Times reported that the BJP could "reward" him for unseating Banerjee, citing a Senior Party member.

Adhikari defeated Banerjee in her own constituency, Bhawanipur, according to data by the Election Commission of India. This is not the first time he has bested the veteran politician. In 2021, he won the Nandigram seat, a previous bastion of Banerjee, by a thin margin.

Indian journalists named Pulitzer winners

Indian journalists Anand RK and Suparna Sharma, along with Bloomberg's Natalie Obiko Pearson, won the Pulitzer Prize in the Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category for "trAPPed."

The graphic novel is described on the Pulitzer website as a "riveting account of a neurologist in India held under 'digital arrest' by her phone, reporting that uses visuals and words to cast light on the growing global challenges of surveillance and digital scams."

Another Indian Journalist, Aniruddha Ghosal, won in the International Reporting category for an "astonishing global Investigation into the state-of-the-art tools of mass surveillance. " Ghosal won the award along with four others for an Associated Press story.

"Like so many AP stories, this was a true team effort, and I’m honored to have been part of it," he said in a post on X.

How Mewat became India's new hub for cyber criminals

Kolkata police cautions residents against fake news of election rigging, mass protests

Authorities in West Bengal's capital city of Kolkata cautioned residents against falling for fake news circulating online, a day after the central ruling Bharatiya Janata Party dislodged the local Trinamool Congress in polls.

BJP's electoral win has ended TMC's 15-year rule in the state.

"Several misleading posts are being circulated on social media by falsely linking unrelated videos and photos from other places to Kolkata after the election results," Kolkata Police said in a post on X.

"Strict legal action is being taken against those spreading misinformation and attempting to disturb public peace. The situation in Kolkata is fully under control. Citizens are requested not to believe or share unverified posts," it said.

Several posts suggesting mass protests, military intervention and election rigging circulated on social media and messaging platforms including X, Facebook and WhatsApp. Some shared weeks-old videos of clashes between BJP and TMC workers.

Results of BJP's win initially led to a jubilant atmospehere in Kolkata followed by a tense Tuesday morning amid fake news and speculation of violence.

West Bengal: TMC accuses BJP workers of post-poll violence

West Bengal's outgoing Trinamool Congress (TMC) reported incidents of arson, vandalism, and violence on Monday evening as BJP workers celebrated a landslide victory in the eastern state.

Law enforcement officers said TMC's offices in several locations across Kolkata were vandalized by mobs, news agency PTI reported.

Video circulating on social media showed groups of men trashing furniture, tearing TMC flags, and breaking valuables in what seemed like local TMC party offices. DW could not independently verify those videos.

"The BJP has exposed its true face the moment it came to power," TMC's X handle said posting one such video.

In response to the complaints, an election commission official said strict action would be taken against those involved in the incidents. The election-governing body sought reports from the local police and asked them to take action.

Post-election violence is not uncommon in the state but rarely seen in the capital city of Kolkata.

In a post on X showing an elderly lady bleeding from her head, TMC said: "This is BJP’s victory parade, drenched in the blood of innocent people."

BJP Leader Rahul Sinha denied the allegations, instead blaming rival factions within TMC.

Will Escobar's 'cocaine hippos' leave Colombia for India?

Can a sanctuary in India provide a new home for "cocaine hippos"? The hippos are descendants of animals imported in the 1980s by Colombia's best-known drug trafficker, Pablo Escobar, for his private zoo. Watch the full video:

FIFA faces broadcast crisis in India as Reliance offers $20 million, Reuters reports

Millions of football fans in India may not be able to watch the much-awaited FIFA World Cup, which starts next month, as Reuters reported a deadlock over the tournament's broadcast rights.

The Reliance-Disney joint venture in India has offered $20 million for the 2026 World Cup broadcast rights. This was a fraction of FIFA's ask and unacceptable to the global soccer governing body, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed sources.

FIFA is yet to announce a deal for broadcasting the games in India and China. The latter accounted for 49.8% of all viewing hours on digital and social platforms during the last World Cup.

"Discussions in China and India regarding the sale of media rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 ​are ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage," FIFA said in a statement to Reuters.

For India, FIFA initially sought $100 million for broadcast rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups, the ​sources told Reuters.

In 2022, billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance secured the media rights for the World Cup for about $60 million, and the deal was announced about 14 months before the event in Qatar. "FIFA is looking for a similar amount for this edition of the tournament," a source within FIFA told Reuters.

Reliance and Disney have since formed a joint venture to emerge as a dominant force in India's streaming space.

World Cup protests, prices and politics in focus at FIFA

India condemns drone strike on UAE

India on Tuesday condemned a drone strike on an energy facility in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, which also left three Indians injured.

"Targeting civilians and infrastructure is unacceptable," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X. "India stands in firm solidarity with the UAE and reiterates its support for the peaceful resolution of all issues through dialogue and diplomacy," he wrote.

The UAE blamed Iran for the drone attack on Monday, but Iranian state TV said the Islamic Republic had "no pre-planned program" to attack oil facilities.

"We call for immediate cessation of these hostilities and the targeting of civilian infrastructure and innocent civilians," Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement Tuesday.

Jaiswal also called for "free and unimpeded navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz," adding that India was ready to support all efforts towards a peaceful Resolution.

India's heavy dependence on imported goods, especially oil and gas, has significantly impacted everyday life in the world's most populous nation. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran war has not only led to a shortage in cooking gas but also impacted several industries facing shortages of raw materials.

India state election results: What you need to know

The counting of votes for the states of Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry took place on Monday, May 4.

Here's what you need to know about the results:

West Bengal welcomes Modi, bids Mamata adieu

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party has swept to an electoral victory in a state long held by one of his biggest adversaries.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won at least 206 out of the 294 assembly seats, according to the Election Commission of India's Website. This marks the BJP's first-ever win in the eastern state.

The victory should put Modi on a stronger footing as he confronts a series of economic and foreign policy challenges, including high unemployment rates and a pending US trade deal, ahead of the general election in 2029.

"The 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections will be remembered forever," Modi, 75, said on social media. "People's power has prevailed and BJP's politics of good governance has triumphed."

"BJP's record win in West Bengal would not be possible without the efforts and struggles of countless Karyakartas (workers) over generations," he added.

Thousands of BJP party workers, supporters and local residents turned out to celebrate in Kolkata late on Monday. They waved party flags, danced atop their cars and swayed to music, blocking several key areas of the city.

The result was the culmination of a long and aggressive election season that dislodged one of the most powerful political figures of the nation—Mamata Banerjee.

The 71-year-old Banerjee, visibly agitated after the results, accused the BJP and the Election Commission of manipulating the results. "BJP looted more than 100 seats," she said, surrounded by security personnel on Monday evening. Banerjee also lost in her own constituency, Bhawanipur.

Political analyst Sushila Ramaswamy said the BJP's victory in West Bengal would consolidate the party's hold over eastern India. "It's a tremendous victory," she said.

"It also shows the electoral machinery of the BJP, how effective and how much detailing goes into their election campaign. And it establishes the BJP as the dominant party in the country."

Good morning! Welcome to DW's India news blog.

This is Mahima Kapoor from DW's New Delhi bureau, bringing you everything you need to know from the country today.

India is still making sense of the results of the high-stake legislative elections in four states and one union territory. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party secured a sweeping win in the eastern state of West Bengal, as people voted for change and anti-incumbency against current Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The mood in the state's capital city, Kolkata, is both jubilant and tense. Many residents were waking after a night of celebrating out on the streets. Others were carefully stepping out for their workday amid fear of clashes between workers of the two parties.

In Tamil Nadu, an actor has once again emerged as a people's politician. Joseph Vijay was victorious in his electoral debut but failed to win a majority, which means an alliance is now on the cards.

Moving away from national politics, three Indians were reportedly injured in a drone attack in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). India's External Affairs Ministry has once again called for a suspension of hostilities in the Gulf.

Keeping reading as we break these events down for you here in this blog.