PM Modi's Media Policy Faces Fresh Scrutiny As Helle Lyng Praises Australia, New Zealand

Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng, who drew international attention after questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's media engagement during his visit to Oslo in May, has said she is encouraged that the discussion has continued during the Prime Minister's subsequent visits to Australia and New Zealand. Lyng said the debate surrounding Modi's interactions with the media and broader concerns over press freedom in India is now "spreading," adding that even "small countries can make a difference" in sustaining global conversations on the issue.

Lyng first made headlines when she called out to Prime Minister Modi during a joint appearance in Oslo, asking, "Why don't you take some questions from the freest press in the world?" The exchange attracted widespread attention internationally and sparked discussions about the Indian Prime Minister's limited participation in unscripted press conferences. Since then, similar questions have surfaced during Modi's overseas engagements, including in Auckland, New Zealand, where an Indian diplomat was asked about the Prime Minister's media interactions. A day earlier in Australia, a television reporter remarked that Modi "famously avoids unscripted news conferences."

Reacting to the developments, Lyng posted a series of messages on X, saying she was pleased to see the conversation continue beyond Norway. "It is nice to see that other countries are continuing the discussion about declining press freedom in India," she wrote after videos from New Zealand began circulating on social media. She added that one of her objectives after the Oslo incident was to ensure that the issue remained part of the international discourse rather than fading after a single news cycle.

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The Norwegian journalist said she deliberately gave more than 30 interviews to media organisations around the world following the incident in Oslo to keep the discussion alive. "That was a part of my goal when I decided to do over 30 interviews with press from all around the world after the 'Norway incident'," she wrote. According to Lyng, the subsequent questions raised in Australia and New Zealand demonstrate that the conversation has gained traction beyond Scandinavia and that journalists in different countries are continuing to examine the issue independently.

The debate over Prime Minister Modi's media interactions has been a recurring subject during his foreign visits. Supporters of the government argue that the Prime Minister communicates extensively through speeches, interviews, social media and public outreach programmes, while critics have questioned the limited frequency of open press conferences where unscripted questions can be asked. Lyng's latest comments have once again drawn attention to that discussion, underscoring how international media scrutiny of political leaders can transcend national borders and continue across multiple diplomatic engagements.

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