Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten expressed concern about the state of press freedom and minority rights in India ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands. According to Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, Jetten said the Dutch government and wider Europe were worried about developments in India, particularly regarding the situation of Muslims and other small communities. He added that these concerns were regularly raised with the Indian government and that the EU-India free trade agreement could provide a platform to discuss broader issues such as human rights and democracy.

In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs dismissed the remarks, saying they reflected a lack of awareness about India. Ministry official C.B. George described India as a vibrant democracy with deep cultural and religious diversity, noting that minority populations had grown from 11% at independence to over 20% today. He emphasized that all communities in India continue to prosper.

Meanwhile, human rights organizations have criticized India for declining press freedom. Reporters Without Borders ranked India 157th out of 180 countries in 2026, down from 151st in 2025, placing it below several South Asian neighbors.