India has issued a sharp diplomatic pushback after concerns over “minority rights” were reportedly raised during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Netherlands visit. The response came from MEA Secretary West Sibi George during a press interaction in The Hague, where he strongly defended India’s democratic and civilisational character. George highlighted India’s long history as a refuge for persecuted communities, pointing to the flourishing of Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities on Indian soil over centuries. The remarks reportedly followed comments made by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten during closed-door discussions referencing Western rights assessments on South Asia. Despite the friction, India and the Netherlands upgraded ties to a full Strategic Partnership, focusing heavily on semiconductors, clean energy, trade and supply-chain resilience. The episode once again exposed the balancing act shaping India-Europe relations — growing economic cooperation on one side, and recurring disagreements over political narratives and internal affairs on the other.