The White House disclosed that reporters accompanying President Joe Biden to the G20 summit in India will have limited access to press interactions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite repeated requests for expanded press access, the White House noted that the meeting between the two leaders will take place at the prime minister’s residence, an unusual venue choice for such engagements. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan explained that the host country’s protocols and parameters for the G20 summit influenced the limited press access.
Sullivan confirmed that the administration had advocated for a pool spray of the meeting, which is customary when President Biden hosts foreign leaders at the White House. He emphasized the administration’s commitment to ensuring press access.
Indian Prime Minister Modi, who has faced criticism from press freedom groups for his government’s actions against independent reporting, has rarely taken questions from the media since taking office. During a previous state visit to the United States, negotiations were required to secure Modi’s participation in a news conference at the White House.
The White House has not hesitated to criticize Modi’s record on press freedom and humanitarian issues. During Modi’s visit to the United States, six Democratic lawmakers boycotted his address to Congress, citing concerns about India’s treatment of Muslim minorities.
Despite efforts by various officials, including Sullivan, White House communications director Ben LaBolt, deputy national security adviser Jon Finer, and Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell, to persuade their Indian counterparts to grant more press access during Biden’s visit, the requests went unanswered.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed the administration’s commitment to facilitating media access to the president during his trip to India but noted the challenges faced in securing expanded access.
President Biden will hold a news conference in Vietnam, rather than in India, following the conclusion of the G20 summit. The White House explained that this decision was based on logistical considerations and would not affect the substance of the press conference.
Sullivan also indicated that there might not be many formal engagements with other world leaders during the G20 summit due to the event’s schedule, with most interactions expected to be informal.
The-CNN-REPORTED
