The Editors Guild of India (EGI) on May 24, 2026, sharply criticised the Indian government’s handling of the media during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visits to Norway and the Netherlands, describing the tense exchanges between officials and foreign journalists as “embarrassing.” In a strongly worded statement, the EGI also highlighted what it termed a “regrettable fact” — that Prime Minister Modi has not held a single open press conference since his government came to power in 2014.
The controversy arose during the Nordic-India Summit in Oslo, where Prime Minister Modi participated in a joint press briefing with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on May 22, 2026. After delivering a prepared statement, the Prime Minister left the venue without taking any questions from the assembled media. This refusal prompted Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng to pursue him and attempt to ask questions, but she was not accommodated. According to the EGI’s statement, this triggered a series of confrontations between Indian diplomats and European journalists.
During a subsequent press interaction, Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng raised concerns about press freedom and the human rights situation of minority religious communities in India. In response, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sibi George, reportedly dismissed her inquiry with a dismissive comment. “People have no understanding of the scale of India,” he said. “They read one or two reports published by some god-forsaken, ignorant NGOs and then come and ask questions.” The EGI condemned this response as indicative of the government’s growing intolerance toward critical questioning.
The EGI’s statement underscored the broader issue of the Prime Minister’s avoidance of open press interactions. It noted that over more than a decade in office, Prime Minister Modi has not once addressed an open press conference — a practice widely seen as essential for democratic accountability. The Guild argued that such avoidance reflects a pattern of treating the media as an adversary rather than a vital institution tasked with holding power to account.
“It is a regrettable fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not addressed a single open press conference during his more than a decade in power,” the EGI said in its statement. “The EGI calls on the government to refrain from treating the media as an adversary merely for doing what it is supposed to do — hold those in power accountable.”
The EGI’s criticism comes amid growing international scrutiny of press freedom and human rights in India. The organisation’s statement signals growing concern among media professionals about shrinking space for independent journalism and rising hostility toward critical reporting both domestically and abroad.
The Nordic tour by the Prime Minister was aimed at strengthening India’s diplomatic and economic ties with Northern European countries. However, the diplomatic friction over press access and the dismissive tone from officials risk overshadowing the broader agenda of the visit and raising questions about India’s commitment to transparency and press freedom on the global stage.
