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India news: Repatriation underway after Vietnam boat sinking
India news: Repatriation underway after Vietnam boat sinking
Mahima Kapoor with AP, AFP and ReutersPublished 07/13/2026Published July 13, 2026last updated 07/13/2026last updated July 13, 2026The remains of the Indian tourists killed in the speedboat accident in Vietnam are set to arrive in Mumbai. Meanwhile, the top court heard a plea on a court-monitored probe into alleged the Ram Mandir donation fraud.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GyOwWhat you need to know
- Mortail remains of 15 Indian toursists set to arrive in India tonight
- India observes day of mourning for former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad
- Supreme Court hears plea on alleged Ram Mandir donation fraud, directs investigating team to submit status report
This blog is closed, it had a roundup of some of the biggest headlines from India on Monday, July 13.
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Skip next section WATCH: Italian farm owner sentenced 2 years after Satnam Singh's death07/13/2026July 13, 2026WATCH: Italian farm owner sentenced 2 years after Satnam Singh's death
Italian farm owner Antonello Lovato was sentenced to 16 years in prison, after an undocumented worker, Satnam Singh, died at his hands.
Singh’s death two years ago caused outrage in Italy and beyond, pointing to the extreme exploitation of irregular labor brought to Italy though a system known as caporalato.
Watch the full DW report:
https://p.dw.com/p/5H0B4Skip next section India's retail inflation breaches 4% target for first time in 16 months07/13/2026July 13, 2026India's retail inflation breaches 4% target for first time in 16 months
India's retail inflation accelerated from 3.93% in May to 4.38% in June, government data showed on Monday evening, largely driven by the rising price of food and fuel.
This breaches the 4% medium-term target set by the Reserve Bank of India for the first time in 16 months, which in turn could trigger a cycle of interest rate hikes.
Higher bank interest rates are meant to control the excess circulation in money by acting as an incentive to park money with banks. On the flip side, high interest rates can also reduce spending and growth. A nation's central bank, in this case the RBI, is tasked with maintaining the country's monetary policy and balance it with the government's growth objectives.
June's retail inflation rate was higher than economists expected but not a complete surprise.
Experts said it was a delayed impact of the Middle East crisis which led to higher fuel prices globally, including India. Higher fuel prices tend to increase the cost of most other goods which require transporting, including food.
Multiple experts now expect India's retail inflation average at about 5-5.1% in the current fiscal year.
https://p.dw.com/p/5H0JwSkip next section WATCH: Indian workers training their robot replacements07/13/2026July 13, 2026WATCH: Indian workers training their robot replacements
In India, thousands of factory workers are helping build the next generation of AI-powered humanoid robots, by wearing body-mounted cameras that capture their every move on the factory floor.
This first-person footage, known as egocentric data, has become a valuable resource for companies developing robots capable of replicating human tasks.
DW's Adil Bhat and Sharique Ahmad report:
https://p.dw.com/p/5H088Skip next section India-US remain engaged in trade talks but no quick deal likely07/13/2026July 13, 2026India-US remain engaged in trade talks but no quick deal likely
India, strengthened by an export uptick and easing economic risks, is holding off on signing a limited trade deal with Washington until it gets what it wants: a leg up on other Southeast Asian economies and a stopper on new US tariffs.
Citing unnamed US officials, Reuters reported that India and the US remain engaged and that a deal was still on the cards. However, Washington believes that India has to earn its preferential treatment by making its own concessions.
When asked about a timeline, a US official was unable to offer one but said India had at times been slow, bureaucratic and difficult in the negotiations, signaling a quick deal was not likely.
India's Trade Minister Piyush Goyal responded to the Reuters story on Monday afternoon calling it "baseless and misleading."
Speaking of his "fantastic" meetings with US Trade Representative head Jamieson Greer in June, Goyal said: "Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to an agreement that is balanced, commercially meaningful, and delivers tangible benefits for businesses, farmers, workers, and consumers in both countries."
"Our teams remain fully engaged in achieving this objective," he said in a post on X.
For deeper dive on why an India-US trade deal is proving to be elusive, click here.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GzoESkip next section Supreme Court directs Ram Mandir probe team to give status report07/13/2026July 13, 2026Supreme Court directs Ram Mandir probe team to give status report
A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India on Monday directed a Special Investigation Team to submit a status report on their probe into the alleged embezzlement of the donation money at the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
As per Indian legal media outlets, the bench also decided to issue a notice to the temple's trust which is at the center of the fraud allegations.
The top court's directions were in response to three petitions filed by lawyers, one of which asked for an Independent and time-bound investigation to get to the bottom of the allegations.
One of the petitioners' concerns is that an SIT, which was constituted by state authorities in Uttar Pradesh, lacks the forensic and investigative infrastructure needed to probe a complex financial crime. Petitioners have said they want the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to lead the probe instead.
The council appearing for the Union of India also warned the court against the danger of evidence — CCTV footage, DVR records — being destroyed or damaged with passing time.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GzcoSkip next section India's Yastika Bhatia makes history with first Test century at Lord's07/13/2026July 13, 2026India's Yastika Bhatia makes history with first Test century at Lord's
Cricketer Yastika Bhatia is being celebrated in India after she became the first woman to score a century at a Test match, at the Lord's stadium in England on Sunday. That gained her a coveted place on the honors board at the Stadium considered the 'Home of Cricket.'
Bhatia scored 113, a massive contribution to the 341-7 India scored in their second Innings of the match on Sunday. That has left England needing a mammoth 427 runs to win the inaugural Women's test at Lord's. England is set to play their innings today.
"I think it's unbelievable," Bhatia told reporters after stumps.
"Six months ago, I was in a very different place. And if you would have told me then I would have my name on the honors board, I wouldn't have believed it."
Bhatia eventually lost out to Sophie Ecclestone, with the England left-arm spinner also securing a place on the honors boards with a five-wicket haul.
"She batted so well, and she really deserved that," Ecclestone said of Bhatia. "It's pretty cool for her to be on the honors board."
https://p.dw.com/p/5GygySkip next section Remains of Indian torusists killed in Vietnam to arrive in Mumbai 07/13/2026July 13, 2026Remains of Indian torusists killed in Vietnam to arrive in Mumbai
The remains of the 15 Indian tourists who died in Vietnam, will be brought to India on Monday night, the Indian Embassy in Vietnam said.
The flight is scheduled to depart Ho Chi Minh City at 6:00 p.m. local time and arrive at Mumbai at 9:35 p.m. IST, via a Vietnam Airlines flight, it said in a social media post.
"The respective state governments have been informed and have been requested to kindly coordinate with the affected families for the onward journey of the mortal remains to their final destinations," it said in the post.
The incident occurred on Saturday as the boat carrying 32 Indian tourists, three Vietnamese crew members and a tour guide overturned in rough seas off May Rut Ngoai, an island near Phu Quoc. The remaining 21 rescued were discharged from hospital and were flying back to India, Vietnamese media said on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the 57-year-old captain of the boat has been arrested for "violations of laws" which resulted in the boat capsizing.
Vietnamese media outlet Tuoi Tre reported that "initial assessments by Vietnamese authorities suggest this was an unavoidable incident caused by extreme weather conditions" that shifted rapidly. However, state media cited a witness saying he saw the overturned boat with many clinging on to the hull, while others drifted away at sea without life jackets.
In India, survivors of the incidents who had returned to their country expressed outrage over the delay in medical attention, according to News agency Press Trust of India.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GyPhSkip next section Investigation team on Ram Mandir donation fraud to visit Ayodhya soon, SC to hear plea on central probe07/13/2026July 13, 2026Investigation team on Ram Mandir donation fraud to visit Ayodhya soon, SC to hear plea on central probe
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged embezzlement of donation money at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya is likely to visit the grounds soon to question those associated with the temple's trust. That's according to a report by news agency Press Trust of India which cited unnamed officials.
The team is expected to visit the holy city to examine records and and question those connected to the donation management system. The SIT was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh state government exactly a month ago, as allegations emerged that millions in donated cash and precious metal had been misappropriated.
The alleged fraud has turned into a political flash point for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party.
Inaugurated by Modi in January 2024, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir is a symbol of success for India's ruling Hindu nationalist government.
The construction of the temple itself was controversial as it was built on the grounds of the Babri mosque, demolished by violent Hindu nationalist mobs in 1992. Building this grand temple was a central promise of Modi and his ministers' campaign before coming to power in 2014 and then again in 2019.
The temple trust was set up under the Home Ministry's notification, and its trustees include known associates of the BJP government.
While the team deliberates their next move, the Supreme Court is set to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a fair and time-bound probe into the matter, possibly by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Several critics have expressed their lack confidence in the state government's appointed SIT since, fearing a conflict of interest.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GyZxSkip next section India observes one-day mourning for Qatar's former emir07/13/2026July 13, 2026India observes one-day mourning for Qatar's former emir
The Indian national flag on top of India's presidential Palace flew at half-mast on Monday morning as the country observed a day of mourning after the death Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who was the emir of Qatar from 1995 until 2013.
Known as the Father Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad died at the age of 74. The cause of his death has not been disclosed.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed "profound sadness," in a post on X.
"He was a visionary leader who guided Qatar to great levels of development and prosperity. We also remember him as a true friend whom I had the honor of meeting during my last visit to Qatar in February 2024," the post said.
https://p.dw.com/p/5GyRWSkip next section Welcome to our coverage07/13/2026July 13, 2026Welcome to our coverage
Hello! And welcome to DW's India news blog.
This is Mahima Kapoor reporting from the New Delhi bureau and I will be your guide to what's happening in the world's most populous country today.
The grieving families of the 15 Indian tourists killed in a boat accident in Vietnam over the weekend are waiting for the remains of their loved ones. The remains are set to arrive via a Vietnam Airlines flight that will land in Mumbai on Monday night.
In other somber news, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his "profound sadness" on the death of the former emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. India is observing a day of mourning in respect for the leader.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India will hear a plea to discuss if the alleged donation fraud at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya should be investigated under a central, time-bound probe. Currently, it is being investigated by the state authorities which are facing a trust deficit in this matter.
The court will also hear a plea on the unpredictable fluctuations of airfare Indians have been facing of late.
Tune in for all of this and more.
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