TMR 2022: India’s uneasy relationship with the foreign press

How does the foreign media report on India, and what does the Indian government think about their reportage? How have things changed between successive governments? 

These were some of the questions considered during the session “How Indian government views the foreign press” at The Media Rumble 2022, which took place in Delhi on October 14 and 15.

Moderated by Newslaundry founder Abhinandan Sekhri, the panel comprised journalist and political analyst Kanchan Gupta, Washington Post India bureau chief Gerry Shih, and the Print editor (opinions and features) Rama Lakshmi.

Rama Lakshmi said a lot is “lacking” in the Indian media. “I don’t think there is enough nut graf in Indian stories,” she said, referring to a paragraph in a story that provides context. “And the nut graf is, why should the reader care? What is the big picture here? That’s just lacking across Indian media reportage.”

The panel also discussed how the Indian government often refuses to engage with reports by the foreign media that it deems too critical of India. 

Watch.

Text by Vardhan Saklani. 

Listen to the conversation here: