New Delhi has firmly rejected reported comments from Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten regarding a perceived decline in India’s media freedom and the erosion of religious and minority rights. Indian officials strongly asserted that the country remains a "vibrant democracy" that guarantees free speech to all its citizens. Speaking during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to the Netherlands, a Ministry of External Affairs representative suggested that such criticisms stem from a fundamental "lack of understanding" of India's vast civilisational depth and pluralistic society.
The robust defence came from Sibi George, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, who pointed out that India is a nation of 1.4 billion people with a continuous civilisation stretching back over five millennia. He emphasised the extraordinary cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity that thrives within the country. Addressing reporters, George noted that India is unique in being the birthplace of four major world religions — Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism — all of which continue to flourish. He further highlighted India's historical record of tolerance, noting that Jewish communities coexisted peacefully without facing persecution for over 2,500 years, whilst Christianity and Islam arrived and took root during their earliest formative eras.
The diplomatic friction surfaced after a Dutch journalist questioned the lack of a joint press conference during PM Modi's two-day visit to the Netherlands, whilst simultaneously raising concerns about the status of Muslims and other smaller communities. In response, George pointed to the massive scale and high turnout of India's recent democratic elections as proof of its political health, characterised by the peaceful transition of power. He argued that India has achieved significant economic success and poverty reduction entirely through democratic processes without resorting to violence.
Defending India’s track record on minorities, the diplomat claimed that the minority population in India had grown from 11 per cent at the time of independence to more than 20 per cent today, challenging the journalist to find another nation where minority populations have increased so significantly. He concluded by suggesting that a deeper study of India would lead to a far greater appreciation of its progress.
While it remains somewhat unclear exactly when or how the initial remarks were delivered, Prime Minister Jetten had, reportedly, spoken to journalists in The Hague ahead of his meeting with PM Modi. Jetten reportedly stated that the Dutch government harboured concerns over recent developments in India, specifically mentioning that pressure on both press freedom and the rights of minorities were issues regularly raised with New Delhi.
Despite the underlying tension, Jetten later struck a more diplomatic tone on social media, writing that both India and the Netherlands attach great importance to democracy, good governance, and a rules-based international order. He also noted that their discussions touched upon a long-standing child custody dispute that has been a recurring fixture in diplomatic talks between the two nations.
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