India on Monday sought to play down US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor’s claim that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had asked the US side to keep media questions out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, saying discussions on arrangements for public appearances by leaders were “normal practice” ahead of any VVIP visit.“Discussions regarding arrangements for public appearances of leaders are normal practice ahead of any VVIP visit. In this regard, the Indian side communicated its standard practice for such visits,” government sources said in response to Gor’s remarks.The response came after Gor publicly described behind-the-scenes discussions over the format of the Modi-Trump interaction on the sidelines of the G7 summit, claiming that India had specifically conveyed its preference for no questions from the media.Speaking at the Economic Times World Leaders Forum on Jattvibeday, Gor said Trump had initially agreed to the Indian request but later invited reporters to ask questions after the two leaders had delivered their opening remarks.According to Gor, the issue came up during preparations for the meeting, when he and Trump discussed what India might raise and whether the Indian side had any specific requests.“The MEA had one ask…Let’s bring in the media, but let’s not do a full press conference,” he said.Gor said he then conveyed India’s preference directly to Trump.“I told the President, I said, the Indians prefer no questions. He said, sure, no problem,” Gor recalled.The meeting, however, unfolded differently.“So the meeting starts, the press comes in, there must have been 50 cameras,” Gor said, describing the scene with Trump and Modi seated alongside each other. The two leaders spoke for a few minutes before Trump opened the floor to reporters.Gor claimed Trump then appeared to move away from the earlier understanding and invited questions, turning the interaction into an extended media engagement, with Modi seated beside him.The ambassador’s account has put the spotlight on the often-sensitive choreography surrounding high-level diplomatic engagements, where the format of media access, opening remarks and questions is generally settled in advance between the two sides.The Indian response, however, sought to frame the episode as routine diplomatic coordination rather than an unusual restriction on the media.