India news: Modi warns of heat wave dangers

A massive statue of football superstar Lionel Messi, erected last year to mark his visit to the Indian state of West Bengal, will now be removed due to safety concerns. 

West Bengal state legislator Sharadwat Mukherjee told news agency AFP that the statue was "swaying in the wind," and thus had to go.

It was erected under former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's government. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party won the state elections there earlier this month, at least one other Banerjee-era football statue was taken down, as per media reports.

However, Mukherjee said this particular Messi statue was no longer safe.

"The statue of the Argentine football legend in the city of Kolkata was found unsafe by engineers of the West Bengal government," he said. 

But it is not clear when the statue will be brought down. "Removal has proved easier said than done," he said. "We are planning to remove the statue at the earliest opportunity."

While India is a cricket powerhouse, football is the second-most popular sport in the country. 

In Kolkata, football is woven into the city’s cultural identity, with fierce rivalries, packed stadiums and generations of passionate fans. Home to historic clubs like Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal FC, the city is one of the driving forces behind Indian football's popularity, with roots going back to the British colonial era.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged people to take precautions and stay vigilant against heat-related illnesses, amid "soaring temperatures."

"This heat is harsh on all of us and I urge you all to take as many precautions as possible. Please stay hydrated, keep water with you when stepping out. Offer a glass of water to others," he said in the first of a series of posts, adding that "kindness goes a long way."

In another post on X, he warned Indians to watch out for the symptoms of heatstroke.

"Watch for signs of heat exhaustion like dizziness, nausea or extreme fatigue. If someone around you feels unusually unwell, weak or develops a headache, it is best to help move them to a cool and shaded place immediately. Ensure they get water, ORS etc. that helps them," Modi said. 

He reminded the nation that children, the elderly, and those working outdoors were especially vulnerable to the extreme heat. 

Modi's social media posts come at least a week after large parts of India began facing a continued heat wave. While that is common over Indian summers, weather experts had previously warned that 2026 is likely to see a strong El Nino phenomenon, which will only make matters worse. 

Indian media is reporting cases of water shortages in several cities and villages. Meanwhile, at least 16 people have died in the southern state of Telangana amid hundreds of reported cases of heat stroke across the country.  

Maximum temperatures have been at about 47 degrees Celsius (116 degrees Fahrenheit) in several regions, making conditions extreme for gig workers, construction laborers, and service providers who depend on daily wages.

The Indian premier also reminded citizens to leave out water for birds and animals. 

"Let us also remember the birds and animals around us. A small bowl of water kept outside your home, balconies, terraces, shops or offices can become a lifeline for a thirsty bird. May compassion guide us in these difficult days," he said.

According to the air quality and weather-tracking website AQI.IN, the top 70 of the world's hottest cities were in India on Wednesday afternoon.

India's two largest airlines, IndiGo and Air India, will scale down domestic operations from June 1 for three months, according to a report by The New Indian Express, citing unnamed sources.

Air India will reduce up to 15% of its domestic capacity while IndiGo will reduce services by 5-7%, the report said. The temporary cuts are due to the higher aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices following the Iran war, and the seasonal slump generally seen post-school holiday period.

In late April, airlines had asked the government for urgent help, saying rising jet fuel prices were putting pressure on their operations.

The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) had said immediate government intervention was needed to continue normal operations.

Jet fuel prices in India had doubled to an all-time high in early April. However, the government, through its state-run fuel retailers,  had staggered this rise for domestic airlines to ease the pressure.

The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday ruled that the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, being conducted in poll-bound states, was legal and within the Election Commission of India's (ECI) power to do so. 

A three-judge bench, including the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, ruled that SIR advances the constitutional goal of free and fair elections. 

“Free and fair elections do not rest merely upon the mechanics of polling. They fundamentally depend upon the integrity, accuracy, and credibility of the electoral rolls, which form the foundation of the democratic process," the court said, according to Indian legal news outlet Bar and Bench. 

The court also said it was satisfied with the reasons the ECI provided for conducting the exercise, including that four decades had passed since the last revision was conducted.

What is the SIR exercise?

A sweeping voter registration overhaul, SIR is meant to remove ineligible voters, but critics say it is skewed against marginalised and minority communities. It kicked off last year in several states and territories, including West Bengal, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party recently won state elections.

Opposition parties have accused authorities of risking disenfranchisement ahead of important state elections, while the Election Commission says the exercise is needed to remove duplicate and ineligible names from voter lists.

Members of Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have long claimed that large numbers of undocumented Muslim migrants from neighboring Bangladesh have fraudulently entered India's electoral rolls.

A Ugandan woman has tested negative for Ebola disease, India's Health Ministry said on Wednesday, after she was quarantined in the southern city of Bengaluru on suspicion of having the virus. 

The ministry has not yet said when the woman will be released from quarantine.

The 28-year-old visitor from Uganda did not show symptoms and was quarantined as a precaution, said Dr Anil Kumar Banagar, medical superintendent at ​the hospital where she was isolated, though the ministry said she suffered mild body ache.

The news comes a day after India's Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda reviewed preparations to tackle the Ebola disease outbreak in Africa. 

India has not had a confirmed case of the virus since 2014. However, authorities have stepped up screening processes at international Airports since the 17th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). 

The World Health Organisation declared it a public health emergency earlier this month and warned that the virus could spread into neighboring nations. 

The outbreak is of a rare type of Ebola that is outpacing response efforts, the World Health Organization says, with more than 900 suspected cases and more than 220 deaths. Aid efforts have intensified, and WHO says the outbreak could last for months.

As of May 22, Uganda has two confirmed cases of the virus, according to WHO.

India's air force deployed helicopters in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday as several forest fires erupted in the Kasauli region of the northern, hilly state. 

The fires spread quickly across large areas due to strong winds and dry conditions. Large parts of India are experiencing heat waves, with maximum temperatures exceeding 47 degrees Celsius (116 Fahrenheit) in several states and cities. 

At least two Indian Air Force helicopters were tackling the blaze, according to the Press Trust of India, which showed videos of thick smoke billowing from the scenic forests and thick Himalayan tree coverage. 

The Hindustan Times reported that personnel from the fire department, forest department, and Indian army were fighting to control the blaze and rescue people. 

Extreme heat, along with dry winds are often a harbinger of wildfires, a more common phenomenon in the West than in India. However, climate change and extreme temperatures have increased instances of wildfires in India as well.  

An analysis by Down To Earth showed that there were 80% more forest fires in just the first two months of 2026 when compared to trends in the past decade. When compared with 2024, which is the hottest year on record so far, forest fires were 50% more.

The Udhampur forest in the Jammu and Kashmir region has been fighting a massive forest fire for the last three days. Local media reported that the blaze has torn through several villages and continues to spread amid strong winds. 

Before that, a massive forest fire broke out in the northern state of Uttarakhand, but was quickly controlled. 

India has secured the release of 10 of its merchant navy sailors who had been detained in Iran for nearly a year, India’s shipping authority said in a statement late on Tuesday. 

The 10 Indian seafarers aboard the oil tanker MV Harbour Phoenix were "detained, arrested and imprisoned in Iran" after the vessel was intercepted near Jask Port in July 2025. 

Even before the recent war, Iran regularly intercepted ships it suspected of illegally carrying fuel into the Gulf.

"Through sustained diplomatic engagement and coordinated efforts... the seafarers have now been released and reunited safely," India's Directorate General of Shipping said in a statement. 

India pursued a policy of diplomacy and made minimal comments to the media, not giving details on the negotiations or the reason for the arrest. Multiple ship-tracking websites list the MV Harbour Phoenix as a Palau-flagged oil products tanker.

New Delhi and Tehran have long-standing diplomatic ties, which India's foreign ministry often balances with its strategic ties with the US, asrecently seen during the Middle East crisis.

Good morning! And welcome to DW's India news blog.

This is Mahima Kapoor from the New Delhi Bureau, braving the heat and the mid-week slumps to bring to you the biggest headlines from India. 

The days-long heatwave cutting through India has triggered several forest fires in Himachal Pradesh, while a massive blaze is already raging in Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir.

India's shipping authorities said they secured the release of some Indian merchant navy sailors who were detained by Iran in 2025, after continued diplomatic efforts. 

Meanwhile, all eyes are on the Supreme Court of India which is expected to pronounce its judgement on several cases challenging the constitutional validity of the controversial Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls being conducted by the center in poll-bound states.

We will discuss all of this and more. Stay tuned!