India news: Twin explosions put Punjab on edge
What you need to know
- Twin explosions in Punjab put state on alert
- Tamil Nadu victor TVK seeks alliance to form government
- West Bengal awaits BJP's name for Chief Minister
- Indian cabinet expands Supreme Court seats to tackle backlog
Here's a roundup of the major headlines from India on Wednesday, May 6:
Skip next section India expands Supreme Court to 38 judges05/06/2026May 6, 2026India expands Supreme Court to 38 judges
India's Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to expand the number of judges in the Supreme Court of India by four seats. This takes the total possible strength to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
"The increase in the number of Judges will allow Supreme Court to function more efficiently and effectively ensuring speedy justice," the Cabinet said in a statement.
The top court has been expanded several times in Indian history.
When established in 1950, the Supreme Court had a maximum strength of eight judges. This was expanded to 11 in 1956, 14 in 1960 and so on. The top court's seats were last increased from 31 to 34 in 2019.
The increase in judges was approved amid a serious backlog of cases haunting the Indian judiciary.News outlet Supreme Court Observer reported that as of March, over 93,000 cases were pending at the top court.
Moreover, four judges are set to retire from the court this year and filling in those seats traditionally takes months.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DLN9Skip next section Why is the BJP winning West Bengal such a big deal?05/06/2026May 6, 2026Why is the BJP winning West Bengal such a big deal?
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Hindu nationalist party – the BJP – has won a state election in the key opposition stronghold of West Bengal for the first time.
So why did this happen now? And what does this mean for the political landscape of India?
DW's Shalu Yadav reports:
https://p.dw.com/p/5DLKJSkip next section India approves semiconductor projects worth $414 million05/06/2026May 6, 2026India approves semiconductor projects worth $414 million
India's government has approved two new semiconductor projects worth $414 million (€353 Million), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, as it pushes to establish the nation as a global electronics powerhouse.
Two projects, one an LED display facility and the other a semiconductor packaging unit, were cleared late on Monday. With these, the total number of semiconductor facilities in India will rise to 12 with a total investment of $17.2 billion (€14.6 billion).
India first launched domestic chipmaking in 2021 under the 'Make in India' initiative and has since expanded on the strategy to reduce its dependence on the global supply chain.
Modi said the new projects were part of their efforts towards "making India a leaderin the global semiconductor value chain."
"India's advances in the world of semiconductors will boost economic transformation, technological self-reliance, and encourage the innovation ecosystem," he said on social media.
India's chip market has grown from about $38 billion in 2023 to an estimated $45-50 billion in 2024-25. The government aims for it to cross the $100 billion-mark by 2030.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DLCwSkip next section Vietnam's To Lam in India for defense, economic talks05/06/2026May 6, 2026Vietnam's To Lam in India for defense, economic talks
Vietnamese President To Lam arrived in New Delhi to a red-carpet welcome on Wednesday, aiming to discuss trade and defense with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The discussions will "open new avenues for cooperation" between New Delhi and Hanoi, India's Foreign Ministry said.
Lam stood with Modi and Indian President Droupadi Murmu outside the presidential palace as Indian troops marched past in an honorific parade.
The Vietnamese leader kicked-off his state visit to India on Tuesday in Bihar by visiting Bodh Gaya, the site of Buddhist pilgrimage where Buddha attained enlightenment.
Indian media has reported there may be discussions over a potential deal for India's long-range BrahMos cruise Missiles. No official details have been given on the matter yet.
India's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Tuesday said Lam had met Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday to discuss "strengthening" their partnership.
Lam is accompanied by a large business delegation and is also due in Mumbai, India's financial hub.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DLB5Skip next section Twin explosions rock Punjab, authorities investigate05/06/2026May 6, 2026Twin explosions rock Punjab, authorities investigate
Two explosions occurred outside military complexes in two cities in the northern state of Punjab on Monday night, within hours of each other.
The incidents, still under investigation, did not lead to any deaths but have put authorities in the border state on high alert.
The Jalandhar explosion
The first explosion took place outside the Border Security Force's complex in Jalandhar at about 8 p.m. (1430 GMT) on Monday, news agency PTI reported.
A security camera captured the incident and the resultant cloud of smoke, while a man ran for cover. The blast ripped a scooter apart, damaged nearby shops, and a traffic signal.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur confirmed to reporters late Tuesday that a scooter parked near the gate suddenly caught fire.
The man who was seen running for cover is said to have seen his scooter catch fire, after which he informed his father of the incident. Authorities said he was fully cooperating with the investigation.
The Times of India, citing a senior Punjab Police officer, said the Khalistan Liberation Army (KLA) had taken responsibility for the Jalandhar blast. The KLA is an armed seperatist outfit active in Punjab, with alleged supporters abroad including Canada and Pakistan. India's Home Ministry designates it as a terrorist organization.
Authorities, however, said it was too early to confirm if the explosion was due to an accidental fire or a planned explosion, and were investigating all possible leads.
The Amritsar explosion
Just hours after the Jalandhar incident, authorities in the city of Amritsar reported a loud noise outside an army camp.
Indian media reported that Amritsar's Rural Senior Superintendent of Police said that fragments resembling a sheet of metal were found embedded in the boundary wall at the site of the explosion.
This indicates that someone had thrown an explosive device towards the wall, which caused the blast, Suhail Qasim Mir said.
Authorities are yet to comment on whether the two incidents were related.
Why is Punjab on edge?
The twin explosions come just days after an attempted blast in another city in the state. On April 27, a suspected extremist died during an attempted detonation on a freight corridor rail track in the City of Patiala.
Police had arrested four members allegedly part of a Pakistan-linked separatist group for the blast.
State opposition leader Sukhbir Singh Badal criticized the sitting chief minister for lack of security in the state.
“Three blasts in 10 days, two in a single day,” Badal wrote on X. “Continued intelligence failures and collapse of law and order are a matter of grave concern.”
The movement to create an independent Sikh nation, known as Khalistan, led to the killing of tens of thousands of people in the 1980s and 1990s. The recent blasts and mentions of Khalistan serve as a dark reminder to the people of Punjab when insurgency, violence, and extrajudicial killings were rampant in the state.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DL5eSkip next section Welcome to our coverage05/06/2026May 6, 2026Welcome to our coverage
Elizabeth Schumacher EditorGood morning! And welcome to DW's India news blog.
This is Mahima Kapoor from the New Delhi bureau, your daily news navigator, cutting through India’s noise to bring you the stories that actually matter.
Indians woke up to concerning news from the northern state of Punjab where two explosions took place near military complexes. While authorities are still investigating and it's not clear if the explosions were related, the border state is on high alert.
Outside of Punjab, most eyes remain ont he states of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu which are fresh out of elections. Tamil Nadu's election victor, which fell short of a majority, is now seeking an alliance to form a government. In West Bengal, people are waiting for Narendra Modi's victorious Bharatiya Janata Party to announce a name for the position of chief minister.
Moving away from politics, India has decided to add four more seats to its top court. The decision is meant to help the backlog of cases which haunts not just the Supreme Court of India, but the nation's whole legal system.
Stick with me as I walk you through India’s news cycle — minus the clutter, plus the context.
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