{"id":86777,"date":"2026-05-20T01:29:24","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T01:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/86777\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T01:29:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T01:29:24","slug":"opinion-oslos-press-freedom-lecture-why-does-india-still-seek-western-validation-opinion-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/86777\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion | Oslo\u2019s Press Freedom Lecture: Why Does India Still Seek Western Validation? | Opinion News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last Updated:May 19, 2026, 20:29 IST<\/p>\n

Democracy rating indices published by V-Dem and Freedom House often sit uneasily with observable political realities on the ground\"font\"\"new\"new<\/a>\"Helle<\/p>\n

Helle Lyng defended her decision to publicly question PM Modi, saying it is customary in Norway. Image\/X<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A Norwegian journalist decided to go on her soapbox and hold forth on the lack of press freedoms in India. Her rant, directed at Prime Minister Modi, was triggered by his decision to walk away from the post-bilateral talks joint press statement venue without taking questions from journalists.<\/p>\n

Helle Lyng<\/a>, a journalist who writes for the Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen, shared a video on her X handle on Monday of PM Modi exiting the joint press statement venue with his Norway counterpart. In the video, Lyng is heard saying, \u201cPrime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, would not take my question, I was not expecting him to\u2026” In the same post, Lyng also implied that the reason the PM didn\u2019t take questions was because on the World Press Freedom Index, India stands at 157th, alongside countries like Palestine, the UAE, and Cuba. She rounded off her post by asking, \u201cWhy don\u2019t you take some questions from the freest press in the world?”<\/p>\n

Later, at a press conference organised by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs to which she was invited, Lyng was combative, badgering Indian diplomats with tendentious questions about India\u2019s trustworthiness and human rights record.<\/p>\n

Astonishingly, the foreign ministry officials unnecessarily took the bait. The question about trustworthiness was never India\u2019s to answer. It is fundamentally a question for Norway\u2019s leadership. It is Norway\u2019s government, elected by Norwegians, that must answer why it is signing accords with India and whether by doing so it is betraying public trust. It is for Norway\u2019s government to answer why it thought India\u2019s prime minister was eligible for one of the highest civilian honours the country bestows on foreign leaders. Bilateral cooperation between India and Norway today spans shipping, renewable energy, green hydrogen, the blue economy, and Arctic research. Clearly, Oslo\u2019s elected leadership sees India as a trusted strategic partner regardless of activist rankings and NGO scorecards.<\/p>\n

But instead, MEA\u2019s Sibi George gave a rambling response running several minutes about India\u2019s history and Constitution, saying, \u201cWe hear a lot of people asking \u2018why this, why that\u2019, but let me tell you this: We are one-sixth of the total population of the world, but not one-sixth of the problems of the world. We have a constitution which guarantees the fundamental rights of the people.”<\/p>\n

Anyone even remotely aware of India would know that democracy rating indices published by V-Dem and Freedom House often sit uneasily with observable political realities on the ground. India\u2019s 2024 general election saw more than 640 million people vote, making it the largest democratic exercise in human history. The ruling BJP lost its outright parliamentary majority and now heads a coalition government dependent on regional allies. Opposition parties continue to govern large and politically critical states across India. If India were truly the closed \u201celectoral autocracy” these indices suggest, it would become difficult to explain fiercely contested elections, regular transfers of state power, high voter participation, and a ruling party that fell well short of the sweeping mandate it was widely expected to secure.<\/p>\n

In any case, there is no need for India to seek validation from anyone on this account. Too often, the Indian establishment still craves affirmation from legacy Western institutions. The Indian government often rails against the \u201cWestern mainstream media” but loses no opportunity to circulate any PM, BJP, or NDA-friendly commentary published in those very outlets. This colonial reflex needs to end. India should stop behaving as though it needs certification from legacy Western institutions to validate its democratic legitimacy.<\/p>\n

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News<\/a> opinion<\/a> Opinion | Oslo\u2019s Press Freedom Lecture: Why Does India Still Seek Western Validation?Disclaimer: Comments reflect users\u2019 views, not News18\u2019s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use<\/a> and Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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