India says 'standard practice' behind Modi-Trump event plans; envoy claimed no-questions ask

Indian officials on Monday defended their handling of arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s interaction with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in June, describing it as “standard practice”, hours after U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor claimed that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had requested a press event without questions.

Official sources said such discussions on the modalities of public appearances are routine ahead of any VVIP visit. “Discussions regarding arrangements for public appearances of leaders are normal practice ahead of any VVIP visit. In this regard, the Indian side communicated its standard practice for such visits,” a source said, referring to the June 17, 2026 interaction in Evian, France.

Mr. Gor, addressing a media conclave on Sunday, said the MEA had an “ask” regarding making the meeting between Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump free of questions from the press. According to Mr. Gor, Mr. Trump asked him what the Indians were going to raise, and he was told that the Indian side would prefer not to take questions. “He said, ‘Do they have any asks?’ And the MEA had one ask,” Mr. Gor said. However, Mr. Trump later forgot about the request and proceeded to answer journalists’ questions for 45 minutes, Mr. Gor claimed.

Official sources, however, pointed out that during the press interaction, all questions, from both U.S. and Indian presspersons, were directed at Mr. Trump and that Mr. Modi was not asked any questions. They did not explicitly deny that a request to avoid questions was made, but characterised the Indian side’s communication as standard practice for such visits.

The Congress party seized on the remarks to attack the Prime Minister. Congress leader Pawan Khera said in a post on X that Mr. Gor’s statements were revealing, suggesting that avoiding questions from the media was a regular practice under Mr. Modi. “This is not just about Narendra Modi. It is the office of India’s Prime Minister that is being diminished and disrespected,” Mr. Khera said. He also asked, “Why is Modi so afraid of facing the media?”

In another post, Mr. Khera claimed that Mr. Trump had not taken Mr. Modi’s concerns seriously. “A compromised PM is not taken seriously,” he wrote, adding, “It is painful to see what India has been reduced to under Narendra Modi. Once a formidable force. Today, taken for granted.”

The interaction took place on the sidelines of the G7 summit, a forum where India is not a member but attends as a guest. The meeting between Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump was notable as the two leaders discussed bilateral and global issues amid ongoing trade negotiations and strategic alignment in the Indo-Pacific.

The episode highlights the diplomatic sensitivity around public engagements between leaders, where even minor logistical arrangements can become politically significant. While officials maintain that the Indian side followed established protocol, the Congress party’s reaction indicates the potential for domestic political fallout from the disclosure.