- Wednesday, May 07, 2025
The Indian prime minister has not addressed a single press conference in India since becoming the prime minister in 2014.
By: Shubham Ghosh
US PRESIDENT Joe Biden was on Thursday (22) set to deliver remarks and field questions from journalists along with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi who reached Washington DC on Wednesday (21) on a state visit. A senior official of the White House called the event a “big deal”.
Modi is not known for taking questions from the media and it is alleged that whenever he does occasionally, the questions that are put before him are toothless. He has not addressed a single press conference in India since becoming the prime minister in 2014. In 2019, he took part in a press conference but never took questions that were answered by home minister Amit Shah, the second-most powerful leader in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the prime minister.
John Kirby, White House national security spokesperson, said the White House understands the conference was a “big deal”
However, the question-answer session will be limited and it will include only two questions — one from the US and Indian press, respectively, he added, according to Reuters.
White House press meets with other world leaders have also been tightly controlled, with American officials designating reporters beforehand from the US and foreign media for the US president and his guest to call upon.
The Biden administration is under pressure by many of his fellow Democratic colleagues to raise India’s human rights record under the Modi government.
Two of the Democratic party’s women Muslim lawmakers have already decided to boycott Modi’s address to a joint session of the US Congress later on Thursday (22).
The critical issue could come up at the press conference, Reuters added.
