India news: Google starts work on largest AI hub outside US

Less than a year after Italian luxury brand Prada faced backlash for showcasing sandals inspired by traditional Indian design without acknowledging their origins, the company is launching a limited-edition range of Indian-made Kolhapuri sandals.

The launch follows controversy in June 2025, when Prada displayed footwear resembling centuries-old Kolhapuri chappals at a Milan fashion show. The move triggered protests from Indian artisans and politicians, who accused the brand of cultural appropriation.

Prada later acknowledged the Indian inspiration and began collaboration talks with artisan groups.

In December, the company announced plans to produce 2,000 pairs in Maharashtra and Karnataka under agreements with two state-backed bodies, combining local craftsmanship with Italian technology.

The sandals, priced at about €750 ($881) a pair, will be sold through 40 selected Prada stores worldwide and online, the company said Monday.

Prada also unveiled a three-year training program for artisans from eight districts traditionally linked to Kolhapuri footwear.

The program, set to begin next month through leading Indian design institutes, is expected to train 180 artisans.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia said on Tuesday he would not participate in further proceedings in the excise policy case before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, citing reasons of conscience and concerns over the appearance of impartiality.

The move comes a day after former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal refused to participate in court proceedings before Justice Sharma, citing a lack of faith in the fairness of the process.

In a letter to the judge posted on X, Sisodia said his faith in the judiciary and the Constitution remained firm, but serious doubts had left him unable to continue in the proceedings.

What did Sisodia say?

Sisodia echoed the arguments made by Kejriwal, referring to Justice Sharma's alleged public association with a group linked to the right-wing Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Bharatiya Janata Party's ideological parent.

He said that as AAP is an ideological opponent of the RSS, there was a fear of bias.

The AAP leader also pointed out that the judge's children are serving on Indian government legal panels, which he said created a perception of closeness to government law officers appearing against him.

"I am aware that some may misread such a step as an attack on the judiciary," Sisodia wrote. "I would again reiterate: this is incorrect."

"Constitutional maturity would have it that one may disagree with a particular course being followed in a particular case without losing faith in the institution as a whole."

The judge did not immediately react to the post. 

United Nations General Assembly President and former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday, a UN report said.

Baerbock arrived in India on Monday for talks aimed at strengthening multilateral cooperation on global challenges.

Baerbock will also meet officials from the technology ministry to discuss India's artificial intelligence regulation and governance model.

In a post on X, India's Foreign Ministry said the visit reaffirmed New Delhi's commitment to engagement with the UN.

She will be traveling to China next.

Two Indian crew members were injured after shrapnel struck the bridge of the Togo-flagged oil and chemical tanker MT Chiron 7 near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, the Hindustan Times reported Monday, citing India's Directorate General of Shipping.

The vessel, carrying 17 Indian seafarers among a crew of 24, was navigating near ships intercepted by the Iranian Coast Guard when warning shots were fired, Indian authorities said, adding that the tanker was not directly targeted.

The injured Indians sustained minor wounds, along with an Egyptian crew member, the HT reported.

There were no reported fatalities, and all crew members were safe, authorities said. Ship-tracking data showed the vessel heading toward Sharjah.

India's Shipping Ministry said it was coordinating with the Foreign Ministry, Indian missions and maritime stakeholders to ensure the welfare of sailors and uninterrupted operations.

Google on Tuesday started work on what it called its largest artificial intelligence hub outside the United States in India.

The company announced in October 2025 that it will invest $15 billion (€12.82 billion) over five years to build the facility in Visakhapatnam, a southeastern port city widely known as Vizag.

"This project represents a $15 billion blueprint to deliver a full stack AI ecosystem," Bikash Koley, Google's vice president for global infrastructure, said at the event, adding the campus would include a gigawatt-scale data center designed to power services such as Gemini and Google Search.

Nara Lokesh, information technology minister for Andhra Pradesh state, said the launch was part of the "journey to build India's most coveted AI and deep-tech hub."

Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., said Visakhapatnam was also being developed as a landing point for submarine internet cables linking India to Singapore.

"This is a pivotal moment for India, Vizag, and for Google," Koley said.

Voting in the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections will be held on Wednesday across 142 seats in seven districts.

Polling stations in West Bengal will open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, campaigning in West Bengal, said he felt no fatigue despite campaigning in the summer heat, describing his rallies in the state as a pilgrimage.

Earlier, Modi had declared that the "final phase will make sure the BJP comes to power."

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Modi's rival, led a bike rally ahead of the vote.

The state saw a record-breaking voter turnout in the first phase of polling, amid controversy over the mass deletion of voters during the revision of the electoral register.

The situation on the ground was tense. Hours before Modi addressed a rally in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Monday, clashes erupted near the venue between workers of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), The Times of India reported.

A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawan and six others were injured in the clashes, the report said.

The results of the election will be declared on May 4.

Hello!

This is Shakeel from DW's New Delhi studio with the latest developments from India.

People in Delhi are anxiously waiting for rain later today, as the weather department says the heat wave affecting parts of the country should ease over the next few days.

After Arvind Kejriwal, AAP leader Manish Sisodia has also recused himself from hearing the liquor case before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court.

Away from the capital, the second phase of voting in West Bengal is set for tomorrow, with leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) making their final campaign push.

For all this and more, follow our live blog from India.