Goa, May 18 -- India has strongly rejected reported remarks made by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten regarding press freedom and minority rights in the country, describing the criticism as a result of a "lack of understanding" about India's democratic and cultural framework.

The response came during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Netherlands, when a Dutch journalist questioned the absence of a joint press conference and raised concerns related to media freedom and the rights of minorities in India.

Responding to the query, Sibi George, Secretary (West) in India's Ministry of External Affairs, said India remained a vibrant democracy with strong traditions of diversity and peaceful coexistence. He stressed that criticism often...