The Editors Guild of India (EGI) on Sunday (May 24, 2026) described as “embarrassing” the sharp exchanges between foreign journalists and Indian officials during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Norway and the Netherlands earlier this week.

The EGI called upon the government to stop treating the media as an “adversary” and said it is a “regrettable fact” that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not held a single open press conference since his government assumed office in 2014.

“The Editors Guild of India is concerned by the embarrassing stand-offs between Indian government officials and journalists of the Netherlands and Norway during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the two countries,” said the organisation in a statement.

“The face-off with the European media was triggered by the Prime Minister’s refusal to take questions from local journalists after a press briefing,” the EGI further said. The exchanges between Indian diplomats and European journalists intensified when Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng raised questions about press freedom and human rights of minority religious communities in India.

In response, an elaborate answer was given by the Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sibi George, saying, “People have no understanding of the scale of India. They read one or two reports published by some god-forsaken, ignorant NGOs and then come and ask questions.”

Earlier, Ms. Lyng had tried to question Mr. Modi after he delivered a press statement alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and left the media venue without taking questions.

“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 and added, “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.”