India said coordinating arrangements for leaders' public appearances is normal practice ahead of VVIP visits, responding to claims from the U.S. Ambassador to India.
The dispute highlights friction over diplomatic transparency and media access during high-level summits between the world's two largest democracies.
U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor said India specifically asked the United States not to ask any questions during an interaction between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump [2]. The interaction took place on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France in June 2024 [1].
In response, an unnamed Indian government spokesperson said discussions regarding arrangements for public appearances of leaders are normal practice ahead of any VVIP visit [1]. The spokesperson said that the Indian side communicated its standard practice for such visits [1].
Another Indian government source said that discussions over arrangements for leaders' public appearances are normal practice ahead of VVIP visits [3].
New Delhi argued that these coordination efforts are routine diplomatic procedures, not an attempt to suppress media inquiry. The government maintains that establishing protocols for public interactions is a standard part of the logistical planning required for visits involving heads of state.
The disagreement centers on whether the request to avoid questions was a standard protocol or a specific restriction on press freedom during the June 2024 G7 event [1].
“"Discussions regarding arrangements for public appearances of leaders are normal practice ahead of any VVIP visit."”
This exchange reveals a clash between the U.S. diplomatic preference for open press access and India's strict adherence to managed protocols for its leaders. While New Delhi frames these restrictions as 'standard practice' to ensure orderly VVIP visits, the public nature of the Ambassador's claim suggests internal tensions regarding how media interactions are handled during bilateral summits.
