A New Zealand journalist questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not hold press conferences during an interaction with Indian diplomats, prompting a response from a senior Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official, who defended the Prime Minister’s style of political communication.The question came during Modi’s visit to New Zealand, the final leg of his three-nation tour aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation between the two countries.New Zealand Journalist: Why has PM Modi not done a press conference?Amb Tandon: I’m a civil servant. It’s not appropriate for me to question the PM’s political method. For context, India’s voters prefer direct contact. PM Modi perfected that & is one of our longest serving PMs pic.twitter.com/Yp0umrQwTu— Shashank Mattoo (@MattooShashank) July 11, 2026During the interaction, the journalist asked, “Why has PM Modi not done a press conference?”Responding to the query, senior MEA official Rudrendra Tandon said it was not his place as a civil servant to comment on the Prime Minister’s political approach.”It’s not appropriate for me as a civil servant to question Modi’s political method. He is a very successful politician. But let me give you some context,” Tandon said.Explaining Modi’s communication style, Tandon described him as a leader who prefers engaging directly with the electorate rather than through intermediaries.”Prime Minister Modi is a quintessential Indian politician. By and large, Indian politicians favour direct contact with their electorate. They want direct contact. They don’t like being spoken down to. They don’t like being spoken to through intermediaries,” he said.He added that Modi had refined this approach over the years.”Modi has perfected the art of direct contact with his electorate. And he seems to be doing a rather good job of it since he’s been elected. He’s in his third term. He’s one of the longest-serving prime ministers in our country,” Tandon said.Similar question raised during Norway visitA similar question was raised during Modi’s visit to Norway in May. At a joint media appearance with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Oslo, journalist Helle Lyng called out to Modi as he was leaving the venue, asking why he does not take questions from journalists.The Prime Minister did not respond, and the exchange later sparked discussion in sections of the media and on social media.Modi’s New Zealand visitModi arrived in Auckland on Friday for what he described as a “historic” visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in nearly four decades.To mark the occasion, Auckland’s iconic Sky Tower was illuminated in the colours of the Indian tricolour. The 328-metre landmark, one of the city’s most recognisable attractions, was lit up as a special gesture to welcome the Prime Minister.During the visit, Modi also interacted with members of the Indian diaspora and attended cultural programmes showcasing performances from different parts of India.The visit comes a few months after India and New Zealand signed a Free Trade Agreement in April, following bilateral talks between Modi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon during Luxon’s visit to India in March 2025. Both countries have since sought to deepen economic, trade and strategic cooperation.