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New Delhi: India’s request that no media questions be allowed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump in France was due to latter’s “unpredictable behaviour” in interactions with other foreign leaders, government sources said on Monday

The response came on Monday after US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, said over the weekend that the Ministry of External Affairs had made “one ask” ahead of the June 17 meeting between Modi and Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian. 

According to Gor, Trump had initially agreed when told that “the Indians prefer no questions”, but subsequently invited journalists to ask him questions after the two leaders made their opening remarks.

The Indian response, made through official sources, did not dispute Gor’s account that it had sought to prevent questions from the media, but rather framed it as a precautionary demand.

“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.

The sources also offered a reason for what they described as India’s “cautious approach”, pointing to Trump’s infamous........

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