New Delhi has rejected reported remarks by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten on media freedom and minority rights, saying India remains a vibrant democracy where free speech, diversity and religious coexistence are protected by constitutional guarantees.
The response came during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands on May 16-17, when the two countries elevated bilateral ties to a strategic partnership and announced a set of agreements covering technology, clean energy, trade, mobility, education, culture, defence and water management. The rights-related exchange added a sharper political edge to a visit otherwise centred on economic and strategic cooperation.
Sibi George, Secretary West in the Ministry of External Affairs, said concerns about freedom of expression and minority rights reflected a lack of understanding of India’s democratic system, social fabric and civilisational depth. He described the country as a 1.4 billion-strong democracy with a long record of religious pluralism, linguistic variety and constitutional protections for citizens.
George said India’s strength lay in its diversity and its ability to sustain democratic processes while pursuing rapid economic development. He stressed that free speech was guaranteed and that people of different faiths had lived together for centuries. His remarks were framed as a rebuttal to questions arising from Jetten’s reported comments ahead of his meeting with Modi in The Hague.
Jetten was reported to have expressed concern over developments in India, including pressure on press freedom and the rights of minorities. He was also reported to have said such issues were raised with New Delhi as part of the Netherlands’ broader engagement. Officials familiar with the bilateral meeting said the issue did not figure in the formal talks between the two prime ministers.
The episode underlines a recurring tension in India’s engagement with Western democracies. Strategic and commercial ties have expanded sharply, particularly in technology, energy transition, defence production and supply chain resilience, but questions around civil liberties, minority rights and the operating environment for journalists continue to surface in European and North American political debate.
India has consistently rejected external criticism on these issues, arguing that its democratic institutions, independent judiciary, electoral participation and constitutional safeguards offer sufficient protection to citizens. New Delhi has also objected to international assessments that it considers selective, politically motivated or based on incomplete understanding of the country’s legal and social realities.
The Netherlands visit produced significant diplomatic outcomes despite the controversy. Modi and Jetten reviewed cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, green hydrogen, water management, agriculture, healthcare, education, defence and people-to-people exchanges. The two sides adopted a joint statement and a strategic partnership roadmap aimed at deepening political dialogue, trade and investment links, and collaboration in critical and emerging technologies.
The Netherlands is among India’s important European partners, with strong investment links and a major role in logistics, ports, water technology and high-end manufacturing. The elevation of ties comes as New Delhi is seeking deeper engagement with Europe amid shifting global supply chains, rising energy security concerns and the push to diversify technology partnerships beyond traditional channels.
Modi’s talks in The Hague also touched on the India-EU trade agenda, multilateral reform and cooperation on global challenges. The Netherlands has supported India’s claim for permanent membership of a reformed and expanded UN Security Council, a position highlighted during the visit. Both sides also discussed stronger business engagement, with Dutch companies operating in sectors ranging from agriculture and healthcare to advanced manufacturing and maritime infrastructure.
The rights debate, however, is unlikely to disappear from India’s diplomatic dealings with European governments. International press freedom assessments continue to rank India low among 180 countries, while rights bodies have raised concerns over legal action against journalists, internet restrictions, anti-conversion laws, communal tensions and pressure on civil society groups. India rejects such criticism, pointing to constitutional remedies, competitive elections, a vocal media ecosystem and the scale of its democratic participation.
