Throughout nearly a decade in power, it has been a rarity for Narendra Modi to directly address live questions from the press. However, if he does end up responding to inquiries alongside President Biden at a news conference in Washington on Thursday, it could mark the first time since his initial election as India’s prime minister in 2014.
Even when foreign dignitaries visit, Mr. Modi has developed a habit of appearing on the podium with these officials, only to leave after delivering a prepared statement to the media. The task of answering live questions has consistently been delegated to others.
From the very beginning of his tenure, Mr. Modi and his team have been meticulous in controlling his narrative and attempting to govern the media at large. While he thoroughly enjoys delivering speeches at public events and has embraced his monthly radio show as a means of communicating with the nation, he has steadfastly avoided any exposure to unscripted events.
Mr. Modi’s aides argue that social media, which his party’s extensive communications machinery has mastered, has rendered news conferences obsolete. Furthermore, other branches of the government do engage with reporters.
Mr. Modi’s aversion to media engagement dates back to his time as the chief minister of Gujarat many years ago. During his watch, the state was engulfed in violent riots in 2002, and Mr. Modi faced accusations of turning a blind eye or even facilitating Hindu mobs that conducted deadly attacks in Muslim neighborhoods.
While Mr. Modi has consistently denied any wrongdoing, he has also publicly acknowledged that his greatest failure during that period was his inability to control the media—a shortcoming he has actively sought to rectify ever since.
Using a combination of government advertising incentives and pressurizing tactics such as tax raids and arrests, he has managed to manipulate a significant portion of India’s media landscape, particularly the broadcast media, to conform to his desires, resulting in most outlets solely propagating his official stance.
Perhaps the closest Mr. Modi has come to engaging in a formal news conference was on the day of his re-election in 2019, where he appeared on the podium for one. However, even then, he merely delivered an opening statement, leaving his right-hand man, Amit Shah, who currently serves as India’s influential home minister, to field the actual questions.
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