Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
- Students took the NEET-UG retest on June 21 amid stricter security
- US Ambassador is set to visit India this week for bilateral trade agreement talks
Here is a roundup of some of the top headlines that are getting India talking on Monday, June 22:
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Skip next section India rejects Pakistan’s statement on Varanasi mosque06/22/2026June 22, 2026
India rejects Pakistan’s statement on Varanasi mosque
India strongly opposed “unwarranted comments” from Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, who condemned the alleged threat of demolitions of a historic mosque in the ancient Indian city of Varanasi.
“India categorically rejects the unwarranted comments made by the President of Pakistan. He has, in any case, no locus standi to comment on matters that are internal to India,” the Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
“These comments are particularly absurd given Pakistan’s own abysmal record on human rights, which is a matter of global commentary,” Jaiswal said.
In a statement posted on X, Zardari said he was deeply concerned over the threats of demolition and a legal notice served to the historic mosque Masjid Ganj Shaheeda and called on India to stop such actions.
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“President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep concern over the demolitions and threats to historic Muslim religious sites in India, including the 1,000-year-old Masjid Ganj Shaheeda in Varanasi. He asked India to immediately stop such actions, warning that they risk leading to the disintegration and perennial chaos of India,” the statement said.
“He called for an immediate halt to such actions and urged the protection of minority rights and shared cultural heritage,” the statement added.
Indian authorities recently issued a notice to remove the mosque near the Kashi railway station by June 20; else it will be demolished. Railway authorities have maintained the mosque is built on railway land.
However, the committee managing the mosque has questioned the authenticity of the notice, due to the lack of an official stamp or signature.
The committee managing the mosque has handed over a memorandum seeking an inquiry into the documents and details placed by them and issued an order that the Railways administration not carry out the demolition, according to a report by The Indian Express.
https://p.dw.com/p/5FqX6Skip next section Sabarimala temple to get AI technology for crowd control06/22/2026June 22, 2026
Sabarimala temple to get AI technology for crowd control
The Sabarimala temple in the southern state of Kerala could see the use of AI-based crowd management systems during the upcoming annual pilgrimage.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the managing authority of the temple, held a meeting with an expert committee and the police on Saturday in this regard, officials said.
Representatives of three AI firms from Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai briefed the expert committee, as well as senior TDB functionaries and police officers, about the proposal, according to a report by The Indian Express.
“AI-enabled crowd management has been effectively used in the Maha Kumbh Mela and other festivals with large gatherings. Sabarimala requires tailor-made AI solutions, considering that the temple is situated within a dense forest,” Pathanamthitta district police superintendent R Anand said.
“We are planning to deploy the system in a phased manner in the coming season,” he added.
“The system will incorporate high-resolution cameras, infrared cameras and drones to analyse the crowd movement,” TDB president K Jayakumar said.
The temple attracts millions of devotees during the two-month-long pilgrimage, which starts in November.
In 2011, Sabarimala saw a stampede which killed more than 100 people. More than 30 million pilgrims had visited the temple during that year’s pilgrimage season.
https://p.dw.com/p/5FpxiSkip next section US representative lands in India for trade talks06/22/2026June 22, 2026
US representative lands in India for trade talks
US Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer, is visiting India to proceed with the US-India trade deal that was agreed to by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in February.
“This week, Ambassador Greer will travel to India to meet with Union Minister Piyush Goyal and other senior Indian officials to discuss the historic U.S.–India Joint Statement and the Interim Agreement as part of the broader U.S.-India Bilateral Trade Agreement negotiations: United States Trade Representative,” the US Trade Representative said in a post on social media platform X.
Last week, when Trump and Modi met on the sidelines of G7 summit, Trump reaffirmed that the deal between India the US is very close to finalization.
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The meeting between Goyal and Greer also comes after negotiator-level discussions which were held between the two sides on 2-4 June in New Delhi.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Fp94Skip next section Over 2 million students appear for NEET-UG exam06/22/2026June 22, 2026
Over 2 million students appear for NEET-UG exam
Sunday saw millions of medical aspirants appearing for the highly competitive National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG, which is needed to enrol in medical colleges across India.
The nationwide exam was conducted across 5,440 centres in India and 14 abroad under extensive security arrangements on June 21, after the previously conducted exam on May 3 was canceled over question paper leaks.
A total of 2,279,743 candidates registered for NEET-UG 2026 for the May 3 exam.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) did not release the exact number of candidates who downloaded admit cards or appeared for the June 21 re-examination.
“Nearly 2.1 million admit cards were downloaded and over 2 million candidates appeared for the examination today,” Indian newspaper Hindustan Times reported, citing a senior NTA official.
The number of students who appeared for the re-exam was less than the number of students who appeared for the May 3 exam.
NTA director general (DG) Abhishek Singh said, “A slightly smaller number of students appeared this time, which is natural because many students take admission in other colleges in other courses.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5Fp31Skip next section Welcome to our coverage06/22/2026June 22, 2026
Welcome to our coverage
Good morning! This is Midhat from DW’s New Delhi Studio, bringing you the latest from India today.
Millions of students in India retook the NEET-UG examination on Sunday, which is required to get into medical colleges in India. The initial test was cancelled over question paper leaks.
The scandal has spurred massive protests. The newly-formed “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP) has been demanding the resignation of the education minister over exam irregularities.
The CJP is continuing the protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, India and the US are moving towards finalizing a trade agreement with a US ambassador coming to India to meet Indian officials.
Stay with us to know more about what is happening in India.
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