Fact Check: Did Narendra Modi Refuse To Answer Questions About Downed Indian Jets In Norway?

ByFactcheck India

May 23, 2026

Claim

Several pro-Pakistan social media accounts claimed that during his visit to Norway, Prime Minister Narendra Modi avoided answering a journalist’s question about how many Indian fighter jets were allegedly shot down by Pakistan.

Fact

The claim is false.

What Happened In Norway?

The claim was widely circulated alongside a viral video showing a Norwegian journalist speaking during a joint press appearance. During Prime Minister Modi’s official visit to Norway, he attended a joint press appearance with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

At the end of the event, Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng asked:

“Prime Minister Modi, why don’t you take some questions from the freest press in the world?”

The journalist later posted the video online and criticised the absence of a question-and-answer session.

How The False Claim Spread

After the video went viral, several Pakistan-based and pro-Pakistan accounts falsely claimed that:

The journalist had asked Modi about Indian jets allegedly shot down by Pakistan
Modi refused to respond
The Indian Prime Minister “ducked” the question

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not respond to a question from a foreign journalist regarding reported aircraft losses during the recent India–Pakistan tensions.

The question was raised by Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng, who later shared a video of the moment on social… pic.twitter.com/5C0CSlNN6Y
— Pakistan Economic Network (@NetPakistan) May 19, 2026

A heated exchange between Indian diplomats and Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng in Norway has gone viral, sparking criticism on social media.

During a press interaction, India’s Ambassador Sibi George was heard telling the journalist, “This is my press conference,” amid… pic.twitter.com/2WBYGGAKKv
— Pakistan Economic Network (@NetPakistan) May 19, 2026

However, there is no evidence supporting these claims.

What Video Evidence Shows

Videos of the press appearance published by multiple media organisations show:

Both leaders delivering statements
No media Q&A session taking place
The journalist only questioning why press questions were not being taken

No footage shows:

Any question about Pakistan
Any mention of Indian fighter jets
Any confrontation related to military losses

What The Journalist Actually Said

In her own public posts, Helle Lyng discussed:

Press freedom
Lack of questions at the event
Norway’s ranking on the World Press Freedom Index

She never claimed that she asked Modi about Pakistan or Indian fighter jets.

Why The Claim Is Misleading

The misinformation appears to be part of a broader attempt to:

Create embarrassment around India’s foreign visits
Push false narratives related to India-Pakistan tensions
Use edited or misleading context to spread propaganda online

Fact-checkers found no credible international or Norwegian media report supporting the viral claim.

What Happened After The Press Meet?

Reports later indicated that:

Norwegian journalists objected to the absence of questions during the official appearance
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre separately interacted with media afterwards
Indian officials later addressed broader concerns regarding democracy and rights during briefings

None of these developments involved questions about Pakistan shooting down Indian aircraft.

Conclusion

The viral claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi avoided answering a question about Pakistan downing Indian fighter jets during his Norway visit is false. The Norwegian journalist did not ask Prime Minister Modi any question related to Pakistan or downed Indian fighter jets.

✔ The journalist never asked such a question
✔ The viral narrative was falsely created by pro-Pakistan accounts
✔ Video evidence confirms the claim is false
✔ The viral narrative was created by pro-Pakistan accounts that falsely interpreted the incident.
✔ Available video footage confirms that no such exchange took place.