OSLO/THE HAGUE - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's five-nation European tour has unraveled into a series of diplomatic confrontations, as host nations and European media have forcefully raised concerns over India's deteriorating human rights record, persecution of minorities, and crackdown on press freedom.
What was intended as a showcase of India's global standing has instead become a damage-control exercise, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) forced to defend the country's democratic credentials at every stop - first in the Netherlands, then in Norway. The backlash marks a significant shift in Europe's willingness to hold India accountable for its internal policies, with human rights now explicitly linked to trade negotiations .
The trouble began in The Hague, where Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten did not confine his concerns to private diplomatic channels. During Modi's visit, Jetten publicly stated that "the Netherlands and the European Union are worried about press freedom and minority rights, among them the Muslim community and smaller communities" .
Very important! Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's European tour has faced a severe diplomatic backlash, with his visits turning into a series of embarrassments over New Delhi's human rights record and treatment of minorities.
- Wajahat Kazmi (@KazmiWajahat) May 19, 2026
Political analysts note that the trip has... pic.twitter.com/T5pa1Xwh2A
Jetten's remarks were not rhetorical. He explicitly tied human rights to economic cooperation, indicating that any EU-India Free Trade Agreement must address democratic standards alongside commercial terms . This represents a significant escalation - placing human rights conditionality inside the trade negotiation where India has the most to gain and therefore the most leverage to apply .
The Dutch Prime Minister also raised the specific case of Insiya, a Dutch citizen allegedly abducted by her father to India. The case has gained significant salience in the Netherlands, with the mother leading protests outside the Dutch Palace where Modi met with Dutch royalty .
When Dutch journalists asked the MEA to respond to Jetten's comments, Secretary (West) Sibi George dismissed the concerns as stemming from a "lack of understanding" of India's diversity and democratic traditions . He pointed to India's religious diversity - noting that four religions originated in India and that the Jewish population in India "never faced persecution" - and its economic growth achieved "without compromising on democratic principles" .
The situation intensified in Oslo, where Modi faced direct public questioning from Norwegian journalists - and where the Indian delegation's attempts to control the narrative backfired spectacularly.
As Modi and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre delivered a joint press statement, Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen stood up and asked: "Prime Minister Modi, why don't you take some questions from the freest press in the world?" .
Modi did not respond. He walked out as Svendsen continued, adding: "Do you deserve the trust of our government?" .
The confrontation quickly went viral on social media. Svendsen later posted on X, noting that Norway ranks first on the global press freedom index while India ranks 157th . She questioned why the world should trust India given concerns over human rights and press restrictions.
The Indian embassy in Oslo invited Svendsen to an official press briefing later that evening - a move that backfired when she and other Nordic journalists used the opportunity to press the MEA on human rights violations, press freedom, and India's democratic health.
The briefing, which lasted over 10 minutes, saw a visible back-and-forth between Secretary George and Svendsen . George defended India's record by pointing to its 5,000-year civilizational history, its contributions to the world (the number zero, chess, yoga), its vaccine exports during COVID-19, and its successful G20 presidency .
At one point, George dismissed the concerns, stating: "People have no understanding of the scale of India. They read one or two reports published by some god-forsaken, ignorant NGOs and come and ask questions. Don't worry about it" .
Svendsen reportedly stepped out briefly to get water - which George initially interpreted as her walking out of the briefing . Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi seized on the moment, posting on X: "When there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear. What happens to India's image when the world sees a compromised PM panic and run from a few questions?" .
The confrontations in the Netherlands and Norway were not isolated incidents. They reflect a consistent pattern: Modi rarely takes questions at joint press appearances. Although he has made exceptions - including with U.S. President Joe Biden in 2023 and U.S. President Donald Trump in 2025 - these remain exceptions rather than the norm .
Norwegian media noted that while Modi did not take questions, PM Støre returned to the room after seeing Modi off and spoke to Norwegian journalists . The contrast was not lost on observers.
As Modi received Norway's prestigious "Grand Cross" award, hundreds of protesters gathered outside the venue, chanting slogans against the Indian leader and accusing his government of promoting "Hindutva extremism" .
Protesters raised banners and shouted slogans including "Modi - the face of Hindutva terrorism," while heavy security surrounded the Indian prime minister throughout the visit .
The demonstration drew significant attention in central Oslo. According to witnesses, some demonstrators tore Indian flags in front of Modi supporters while continuing anti-government chants .
The organization Sikhs for Justice strongly criticized Norway's decision to award Modi the "Grand Cross," claiming that honoring the Indian prime minister amounted to legitimizing what it described as a "campaign of international repression" against Sikh activists worldwide .
In a statement, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun noted that Modi, who once used the phrase "we will strike inside homes," was now "hiding behind tight security out of fear of pro-Khalistan Sikhs supporting the referendum movement" .
Kashmiri activists also participated in the protests, raising slogans against the ongoing violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The coordinated pushback from European leaders and media represents a significant escalation in international scrutiny of India's domestic policies. Key developments include:
| Issue | European Position |
|---|---|
| Minority rights (Muslims, Christians) | Dutch PM Jetten explicitly raised concerns about treatment of Muslim and smaller communities |
| Press freedom | Norway (ranked #1 globally) challenged India (#157) on media restrictions |
| Trade conditionality | Human rights now linked to EU-India FTA negotiations |
| Specific cases | Dutch child abduction case (Insiya) raised at head-of-state level |
| Kashmir & Khalistan | Large protests in Oslo with slogans against "Hindutva terrorism" |
For years, India has relied on its strategic importance - as a counterweight to China - to shield it from international criticism over human rights. The Modi government's consistent response has been to dismiss concerns as arising from a "lack of understanding" of India's diversity and democratic traditions .
But Europe's patience appears to be wearing thin. The public nature of Jetten's remarks - and the refusal of Norwegian media to accept scripted responses - suggests that the "Shining India" narrative is no longer sufficient to deflect scrutiny.
The MEA's defensive posture - attributing criticism to "god-forsaken, ignorant NGOs" and a "lack of understanding" - may play well with domestic audiences but is unlikely to satisfy European skeptics . As one observer noted, when a senior Indian diplomat resorts to dismissing international human rights organizations as "ignorant," it signals that India has no substantive response to the concerns raised.
The irony is not lost: India, which claims to be the world's largest democracy and a natural leader of the "Global South," is struggling to defend its democratic credentials before the democracies of Europe.
The events of Modi's European tour signal a broader shift in international relations: India's internal policies - its treatment of minorities, its crackdown on press freedom, its human rights record - are no longer considered "internal matters" that other nations can ignore.
As the EU-India FTA negotiations continue, European leaders have made clear that human rights are not peripheral to the discussion - they are central. Whether India is willing to engage on these terms, or whether it will continue to dismiss criticism as foreign interference, remains to be seen.
What is clear is that India's diplomatic insulation is eroding. The world is watching - and Europe is speaking.
