Former Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nripendra Misra, shared in an ANI podcast how PM Narendra Modi deviated from the convention set by Congress governments of bringing media personnel on official foreign visits.
During an appearance on “ANI Podcast With Smita Prakash” on November 29, Misra recounted the initial instance when PM Modi was heading abroad. In line with past prime ministers, Misra presented a list of journalists accompanying him. However, PM Modi, after examining the list, remained silent. After a few hours, Misra, sensing a delay, inquired about the clearance.
Misra said, “The first time he (PM Modi) was visiting abroad, like all previous prime ministers, I carried the names of the press guys who will go with him so he looked at it and then didn’t comment anything. After about 2-3 hours, I asked him we are getting late, didn’t you clear it. So he (PM Modi) asked if he didn’t take any press person along, what will happen.”
Despite Misra explaining the convention, PM Modi decisively declared that no press representatives would accompany him, bringing an end to the longstanding tradition.
“No press representative will go with me. That’s all…so that was his decision. It was final,” Misra said.
In 2014, PM Modi’s decision to limit the accompanying journalists, specifically favoring those from state-affiliated media, stirred discussions and drew criticism from the media accustomed to VIP treatment during the previous UPA government.
PM Modi’s inclination for a modest media entourage during early foreign visits, such as those to Bhutan and Brazil for the BRICS summit, signaled his departure from the tradition of taking around 30 journalists from various media outlets. Before this change, the PMO, with assistance from the Ministry of External Affairs, compiled the roster of accompanying journalists, who traveled on the same plane as the Prime Minister. The government covered their flight expenses, while journalists paid for their accommodations at selected hotels. Free food and drinks were provided, and these trips facilitated access to high-ranking officials.
PM Modi, in discussing the policy shift, criticized the flawed nature of the tradition, arguing that large media houses repeatedly sent journalists. He highlighted that modern journalists had access to information regardless of their location, eliminating the need for their physical presence on the prime minister’s foreign trips.
Notably, PM Modi also abstains from taking guests on official foreign trips, as confirmed by Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs V Muraleedharan in response to an inquiry regarding guests accompanying PM Modi on foreign visits in 2023.
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