What started as an internet joke is fast becoming young India’s newest symbol of resilience, survival and collective frustration. Meanwhile, PM Modi has reached Italy for the last leg of his tour.
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India issues heatwave warning for next five days
India’s national weather agency warned residents in northwest and central India of severe heat wave conditions during the week and in eastern India during the next five days, on Wednesday.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) did not directly attribute the extreme heat to the El Nino phenomenon. However, it directed readers towards research on how the occurrence influences extreme temperature events and intensifies heat wave conditions.
“Heat waves in India are becoming longer, stronger, and more frequent,” it said, adding that “extreme temperatures can increase the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke, especially during outdoor activities and travel.”
The last El Nino helped make 2023 and 2024 the two hottest years on record.
India routinely experiences intense heatwaves between April and June.
The IMD declares a heatwave if the temperature reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) or more for plains, and at least 30 degrees Celsius and more for hilly regions.
It categorizes a heat wave as a ‘severe’ one if the temperature is over 6.4 degrees Celsius higher than what’s normal for the region.
On Wednesday, temperatures in New Delhi were at about 43 degrees Celsius.
Rubio to visit four Indian cities
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit India from May 23 to May 26 as both New Delhi and Washington look to strengthen trade and security cooperation amid growing geopolitical instability.
Rubio will visit four Indian cities, including Kolkata, Jaipur, Agra and New Delhi, for talks on trade, defense, and energy security, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement on Tuesday.
Finalizing the US-India trade deal is likely to be high on the agenda, along with the Quad security grouping, which includes the US, India, Japan and Australia.
US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi enjoyed warm ties during Trump’s first term, but relations cooled after India was hit last year with some of the highest US tariffs over its oil imports from Russia.
While many of last year’s tariffs have been rolled back, diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Washington have grown strained even though both sides maintain that they are key strategic allies.
Rubio will reach India after visiting Sweden for a NATO ministers’ meeting, days after Modi visited the country to discuss green energy.
Model’s death over alleged dowry harassment gains national attention in India
The case of a 33-year-old Indian woman who died by suicide last week, just months after her wedding, has grabbed national attention as her parents alleged harassment and possible foul play.
The woman, who had worked as a model and a marketing professional, was found hanging by her belt at her in-laws’ house just five months into her marriage.
After the initial postmortem, which ruled her death a suicide, the deceased’s parents refused to accept her body and called for a second postmortem as they suspected foul play and evidence tampering, news outlet Times of India reported.
“There were a lot of faults in the postmortem, and without even submitting the ligature, the postmortem report was released. They were asking us to take the body. What kind of findings are these?” her father told reporters.
Allegations of harassment
New Delhi Television (NDTV) reported that the woman called her mother on the night of May 12 to provide details of harassment she had been facing at the hands of her husband and mother-in-law.
The report said the call was cut abruptly when her husband entered the room. About 15 minutes later, another call reportedly informed the parents that their daughter was not breathing.
Indian police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the woman’s husband and mother-in-law. Local police have issued a lookout notice and announced a monetary reward for information that leads to the discovery of the husband, who remains missing.
The police maintain that the 33-year-old died by suicide and not murder, but admitted to lapses over the handling of the belt allegedly used to commit suicide, which did not reach the mortuary.
In an interview with NDTV, the mother-in-law denied any wrongdoing and accused the woman of being schizophrenic and having a split personality.
India saw over 6,000 cases of dowry deaths registered in 2023, according to government data released by the Home Ministry in March 2026.
Dowry harassment remains a widely occurring and under-reported phenomenon in India, despite stringent laws, as social stigma around divorce and separation remains high.
Russian defense system deliveries to India on schedule
Russia’s deliveries of the S-400 missile defense system to India are on schedule, Reuters news agency reported Wednesday, citing Russian news agency Interfax.
The S-400 surface-to-air missile system is one of the world’s most advanced long-range missile defense systems and a key element in India’s air defense architecture known as the “Sudarshan Chakra.”
Named after a Hindu god’s divine spinning discus, Hindu mythology considers the Sudarashan Chakra one of the most powerful and infallible weapons.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first announced Mission Sudarshan Chakra on India’s Independence Day in 2025, in the aftermath of the clashes with Pakistan, which saw the rival neighbors exchange missiles and drone attacks for days.
Since the near-war situation, India has stepped up efforts to update its defense capabilities, both by procuring technology from its allies and by indigenous development.
India’s trade ties with long-time ally Russia have increasingly come under scrutiny since US President Donald Trump retook office.
Last year, the US imposed 50% trade tariffs on India despite being a strategic ally, largely because India ramped up its imports of Russian crude oil amid the war in Ukraine.
New Delhi agreed to pull back from those purchases earlier this year and has only recently returned to buying some Russian oil due to the global oil shock caused by the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
But aside from oil, Russia remains the largest defense exporter to India.
India has reiterated its multi-alignment foreign policy as global conflicts group nations in cliques. Experts say that while New Delhi has managed to walk the tightrope so far, it could soon be forced to choose between Washington and Moscow.
India and Italy set to upgrade ties as Modi visits Rome
New Delhi and Rome will seek to deepen bilateral trade and strategic ties on Wednesday after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Italy for the last leg of his five-nation tour.
Upon landing on Tuesday, Modi met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni over dinner, followed by a visit to the Colosseum.
“We exchanged perspectives on a wide range of subjects. Looking forward to our talks today, where we will continue the conversation on how to boost the India-Italy friendship,” Modi said in a social media post, which included the two leaders enjoying the Eternal City’s scenic views.
The Italian leader posted a selfie with Modi, saying, “Welcome to Rome, my friend!”
In a light-hearted video, Meloni thanked the Indian prime minister for gifting her a pack of chocolate toffees called “Melody.”
It was a tounge-in-cheek referrence to a recurring social media trend that links Modi and Meloni to form a so-called couple name: “Melodi.”
In social media memes, Indians have previously linked the two prime ministers together romantically — a trend the leaders have humerously leaned into.
Modi also interacted with the Indian community in Italy on Wednesday, a regular feature on most of his foreign visits.
What’s on the agenda?
Modi and Meloni are scheduled to hold official talks with a strong focus on trade, defense, technology, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
Italy increasingly sees India as a key Indo-Pacific and economic partner as Europe looks to diversify away from China.
At the same time, India views Italy as an important gateway into Europe and the G7. The two sides are also expanding cooperation in AI, critical minerals, and counter-terrorism.
‘No longer a satire,’ says Cockroach Janata Party founder
DW Reporter Shalu Yadav spoke to the man who created the Cockroach Janata Party.
Abhijeet Dipke told DW that while the movement came out of one, it was “no longer a satire or a joke.”
“It’s getting pretty serious,” he said.
Dipke said that in his several interactions with young Indians, he heard frustration towards the state of India’s political system and a sense of defeat.
“Now there is a platform for us. There is an outlet for our anger. And I feel that this is not something that has happened suddenly and I don’t think it is just against the Chief Justice of India,” he said.
“I think it’s more about the complete political scenario, the complete political situation where people all these years were scared to speak against the power. And now they finally have found an outlet,” Dipke told DW.
Dipke spoke at length to DW about how the movement came to be, his own perception of it and what he plans to do going forward.
Watch out for the full report which will be up on our website soon.
India’s ‘cockroach’ movement is spreading
India’s internet has a new political force. Meet the “Cockroach Janata Party,” a tongue-in-cheek Gen Z online movement built around one very durable mascot: the cockroach.
On Tuesday night, the party’s Instagram page hit 1 million followers and that has now jumped to over 3 million in a matter of hours.
Source : https://www.dw.com/en/millions-follow-indias-viral-cockroach-movement/live-77223897
