India ranks 157th out of 180 in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index. During a two-day Norway visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not take questions from reporters at a press meeting. When Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen asked why he would not take questions, Modi walked out without replying. Later the same day, Svendsen asked a senior official of India’s Ministry of External Affairs about India’s human rights record. The official responded by deflecting to unrelated aspects of India’s past and present and became visibly angry. Modi has not held a single news conference in India during his 12-year term and has rarely fielded questions abroad, renewing criticism from media organizations.
"India is currently ranked 157th out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index. A tricky encounter with a Norwegian journalist has shone a light on the reluctance of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and members of his government to engage directly with the media on uncomfortable issues. After Helle Lyng Svendsen from Norwegian daily Dagsavisen asked Modi why he wouldn't take questions from the press, and later the same day asked a senior official of India's Ministry of External Affairs about India's human rights record, Modi's response was to walk away without replying while his minister's was to try to deflect by talking about unrelated facets of India's past and present, and then to become visibly angry."
"On Monday, Modi wrote on X that he was addressing a press meet with Norway's Prime Minister Store. However, he did not take any questions from reporters. When Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen from the daily newspaper Dagsavisen, asked: Prime Minister Modi, why don't you take some questions from the freest press in the world? he simply walked out of the conference room. It is not known if the Indian leader heard the question."
"Modi has not held a single news conference in India during his 12-year term in office. On his multiple trips abroad, he has only rarely fielded questions including two in Washington, DC, in 2023. The incidents in Norway have renewed criticism from media organisations, which point to India's sliding rankings in press freedom indices. So why has Modi's encounter with a Norwegian journalist led to criticism and what do we know about media freedom in India? Here is what we know."
"When Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen from Norwegian daily Dagsavisen asked a senior official of India's Ministry of External Affairs about India's human rights record, the response was to try to deflect by talking about unrelated facets of India's past and present, and then to become visibly angry. Modi's response to the question about taking press questions was to walk away without replying."
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