Leaders from India’s ruling National Democratic Alliance and the rival INDIA bloc are expected to meet on Wednesday to discuss their numbers after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party fell short of a simple majority.
Final results were published early on Wednesday, with Mr Modi’s Hindu nationalist party winning 240 seats – 32 off the number needed to begin to form a government.
The main opposition Indian National Congress won 99 seats in the 543-member parliament.
Both national parties will require support from smaller regional parties if they are to form a government.
Mr Modi’s BJP will be relying on NDA partners to form the next government, with the bloc winning 294 seats.
The Telugu Desam Party from southern Andhra Pradesh, part of the NDA coalition, won 16 seats, while another alliance partner from Bihar, Janata Dal (United), has 12 seats in the 543-seat parliament.
NDA allies Shiv Sena won seven seats in Maharashtra and the Lok Janshakti Party won five seats in Bihar.
The parties are likely to lend their support to the BJP, with the rival INDIA bloc also seeking assistance to form a government after it took 232 seats.
JDU chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and TDP head N Chandrababu Naidu, who are central to forming a government, were scheduled to arrive in Delhi and meet BJP leaders on Wednesday.
The NDA leaders will discuss their path to power, ministerial positions and set an agenda for the next government, before choosing the leader of the house.

The NDA alliance will present their claim and numbers to President Droupadi Murmu, who will invite them to form the government, with the opposition INDIA bloc also racing to lure smaller parties to stake a claim on power.
The election results have come as a jolt for the Hindu nationalist party that has won the previous two elections by a large majority, prompting Mr Modi to raise the slogan of “this time 400 seats” for BJP.
National daily news media commented that the shock results for the BJP were a “message” to the leader, who is accused of playing divisive politics and pushing the agenda of Hindu hegemony in the officially secular state.
The Indian Express ran a headline “India gives NDA third term, Modi a message” whereas, Hindustan Times, a popular daily, wrote, “Politwist: It’s a game on”.
The Times of India, one of the most-read dailies, said: “Hat-tricky: NDA 272 paar, INDIA [bloc] raises bar”.
“India cuts down Modi,” the Telegraph newspaper, known for its succinct headlines, said on its front page.
The Deccan Herald said: “Modi 3.0 diminished”.
Teams
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shanwari, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Colin de Grandhomme, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
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Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
The burning issue
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Specs – Taycan 4S
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Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
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Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
----
Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: SimpliFi
Started: August 2021
Founder: Ali Sattar
Based: UAE
Industry: Finance, technology
Investors: 4DX, Rally Cap, Raed, Global Founders, Sukna and individuals
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
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How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
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Transmission: 10-speed auto
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• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
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• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
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