India, May 17 -- A senior Indian diplomat strongly defended India's record on religious pluralism in The Hague, Netherlands, on Saturday, after a Dutch journalist asked him to respond to reported concerns about press freedom and minority rights in India.

The exchange took place at a media briefing following delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Rob Jetten, during which the two leaders elevated bilateral ties to a strategic partnership and signed 17 agreements covering defence, semiconductors, critical minerals and other sectors.

The journalist, from a Dutch newspaper, told Indian Ministry of External Affairs' secretary (west) Sibi George that Jetten had reportedly said the Netherlands and Europe...