A routine diplomatic briefing in Oslo on Monday turned combative when Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West) Sibi George forcefully defended India’s democratic credentials after Nordic journalists pressed the delegation on civil liberties and press access during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s five-nation European tour. The exchange followed a joint appearance by Modi and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, after which a Dagsavisen reporter, Helle Lyng, heckled: “Prime Minister Modi, why don’t you take some questions from the freest press in the world?”
When reporters asked why foreign governments should trust India’s commitment to democratic values, George stepped in and cut through cross-talk: “Let me answer the question, please don’t interrupt me… You asked why a country should trust India. Let me answer that.” He rejected criticism based on external ratings and reports, accusing some Western commentators of relying on “one or two news reports published by some godforsaken, ignorant NGOs.”
George pushed back by pointing to India’s large and noisy domestic media ecosystem. “You know how many stories are up here? We have… at least 200 TV channels in Delhi alone, in English language, in Hindi language, and multiple languages,” he said, using the scale of Indian media as a rebuttal to claims of a suppressed press.
Shifting from media to legal foundations, George argued that India’s democratic legitimacy rests on its Constitution and post-independence legal framework. “We have a Constitution which guarantees the rights of the people… We have equal rights for the women of our country,” he said, noting that India enacted universal suffrage in 1947 and adding, “Because we believe in equality, we believe in human rights. And what is the best example of human rights? The right to change a government.”
The tense exchange in Oslo echoed a similar confrontation 24 hours earlier in The Hague, where Dutch outlets De Volkskrant and NRC pressed George over comments linked to remarks by Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten. In both encounters, the MEA rejected foreign criticism and pointed to high voter turnout and a growing minority population as indicators of India’s pluralism. The interaction was first published on May 19, 2026.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/mea-secretary-sibi-george-blasts-ignorant-ngo-reports-after-tense-press-clash-in-oslo-watch-14012602.html
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Publish Date: 2026-05-19 06:23:00
