Ahead of President Putin’s visit, Rahul Gandhi alleges the Modi government restricts his interactions with foreign dignitaries. Govt sources deny interference, citing several meetings Gandhi held since June 2024.

Rahul Gandhi Alleges Govt Obstruction of His Diplomatic Meetings; Centre Responds

New Delhi: With Russian President Vladimir Putin set to arrive in India on Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has reignited a debate on political protocol. Gandhi claimed that the Modi government routinely prevents him from meeting visiting foreign leaders—a stark break, he said, from the practices followed under former prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.

The government has dismissed the allegation, with official sources clarifying that such meetings depend entirely on the visiting delegation. They pointed out that Gandhi has met leaders from Bangladesh, Vietnam, Malaysia, New Zealand and Mauritius since June 2024, pushing back against suggestions of deliberate obstruction.

No meeting between Gandhi and Putin has been scheduled, highlighting the widening political and procedural tensions between the Opposition and the Centre over access, diplomacy and democratic engagement.

The disagreement underscores deeper concerns about political neutrality in diplomatic conventions. While government officials insist protocol has not changed, Gandhi’s remarks reflect the Opposition’s perception that institutional norms are being reshaped in ways that reduce space for dissenting voices. Analysts note that limiting senior Opposition leaders’ access to foreign dignitaries—if proven—could weaken the robustness of India’s democratic ecosystem by narrowing channels of dialogue.