After Netherlands, MEA faces questions over PM’s decision not to hold press conference in Norway

The Ministry of External Affairs defended India’s grounds connected ideology connected Monday (May 18 2026), for the 2nd clip during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s European tour, over the PM’s determination not to instrumentality questions from the press.

During the associated property quality with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Mr. Modi was confronted by a Norwegian writer who stood up and asked him to respond to media questions, arsenic was the norm successful the European country. Later successful the day, aft the aforesaid writer accosted the Ministry of External Affairs connected the contented arsenic good arsenic quality rights during a briefing, a elder MEA authoritative said that India is simply a “civilizational country”.

“We perceive a batch of radical asking wherefore this, wherefore that, but fto maine archer you this. We are 1 sixth of the full colonisation of the world, but not 1 sixth of the problems of the world,” said Secretary (West) Sibi George. “We person a constitution which guarantees the cardinal rights of the people. We person adjacent rights for the women of our country, which is precise important,” helium added, visibly aggravated by the journalist’s code of questioning, and repeated interruptions.  

Earlier successful the day, the journalist, Helle Lyng Svends, a analogous for the Dagsavisen, stood up aft the property statements made by PM Modi and PM Store astatine the Government Guest House successful Oslo. “Prime Minister Modi, wherefore don’t you instrumentality questions from the freest property successful the world,” Ms. Svends said, past pursuing him retired of the room, adding “Do you merit the spot of our….[government]?

Ms. Svends said that she was upset that neither Prime Ministers had taken questions from the media, arsenic was the norm successful Norway. Shortly after, PM Store returned to the country aft seeing disconnected PM Modi, and spoke to Norwegian journalists. After a concern lawsuit astatine the metropolis hallway connected Monday (May 18) evening, Mr. Store besides met with Indian journalists, including from The Hindu and took their questions.

This is the 2nd clip connected the circuit that the authorities has faced questions implicit PM Modi’s determination not to instrumentality questions unrecorded aft property statements with overseas leaders. Although PM Modi had accepted joining property conferences successful the past, including with U.S. President Joseph Biden successful 2023 and U.S. President Donald Trump successful 2025 successful Washington, these person been the exceptions alternatively than the norm.

During the PM’s sojourn to the Netherlands connected Saturday (May 17), Dutch journalists had likewise raised objections to the signifier of nary questions with Mr. George during a property briefing. “We look these benignant of questions fundamentally due to the fact that of the deficiency of knowing of the idiosyncratic who asks the question,” Mr. George had replied, citing India’s historical antiauthoritarian freedoms and quality rights record.

When asked astatine the MEA briefing successful the evening whether the authorities had been asked by big leaders to code media questions, and whether the authorities was reconsidering its policy, Mr. George further said that arsenic the MEA Secretary successful complaint of the sojourn it was his work to instrumentality to code the media and instrumentality questions.

“So I person been doing that, and I volition proceed to bash that,” helium replied. He aboriginal told The Hindu “categorically” that nary big authorities had requested PM Modi to reply questions from the press.