New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has defended India's handling of international travel clearances after allegations that more than 100 foreign speakers invited to the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad were denied visas or had their clearances cancelled.
Addressing a media briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said visa decisions fell within the sovereign jurisdiction of individual countries and governments. He was responding to reports that several international delegates had been unable to secure visas ahead of the two-day summit organised by the Congress and the Telangana government on November 13 and 14.
"Visa matters are sovereign functions of any country or any government. So that is what I have to say," Jaiswal said.
He reiterated the position in Hindi, stating that all matters relating to visas fell within the sovereign authority of a nation or government.
Jaiswal was responding to questions about claims that around 115 of the 315 foreign speakers approved for the summit had either been denied visas or had their existing clearances revoked. The allegations also raised questions about the role of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), with opposition leaders claiming that the cancellations followed instructions from the ministry.
Among those reportedly affected was Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng, who had been invited to speak at a panel on the future of media and press freedom.
Lyng said she had received a visa from the Indian embassy in Norway and was preparing to travel to Hyderabad when it was cancelled shortly before her scheduled departure.
In a post on X, she questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the decision and said she had been told that the cancellation followed "orders from above".
"I got a visa to India and was supposed to leave this morning to attend the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad. I had been invited as a panellist and speaker on the future of media and press freedom," Lyng wrote.
She also asked why her visa had been cancelled and appealed for permission to visit India. After the MEA's response to the matter came, she posted on X asking for an explanation.
Yes, but I would still like an explanation
— Helle Lyng (@HelleLyngSvends) November 13, 2026
Lyng had previously drawn media attention during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Oslo in May, when she posed a question to the Indian side about press freedom.
The Congress criticised the reported cancellation, questioning why the government was unwilling to face questions from international journalists.
"You may remember - a journalist in Norway asked Modi a question, and Modi was seen running away. Now that same journalist, Helle Lyng, was due to attend the 'Bharat Summit' being held in Telangana, but her visa was cancelled before she could even get there," the party said in a post on X.
"Why are Modi and his government so afraid of questions," it added.
Former Minister of State for External Affairs and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also raised concerns over the reported visa denials, while Congress MPs questioned the alleged involvement of the MHA in the decisions.
Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda said visa denials and discrepancies in visa categories had affected the participation of international delegates. He said a panel on the global economy that he was moderating had to be delayed while the visa status of a participant from the United Kingdom was verified.
Hooda described the reported restrictions on foreign invitees as "unfortunate" in a democratic country governed by the Constitution. He said international exchanges of ideas should not be viewed through a political lens.
The Bharat Summit 2026, held in Hyderabad on November 13 and 14, brought together around 1,000 delegates, policymakers and thinkers from 70 countries. Discussions covered global geopolitics, democracy, climate change, artificial intelligence and progressive politics.
The event was organised by the Congress and the Telangana government, with senior leaders including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Gaurav Gogoi, Salman Khurshid and Tharoor participating in the deliberations.
Telangana Minorities Welfare and Public Enterprises Minister Mohd Azharuddin expressed satisfaction with the summit's opening day, highlighting discussions concerning the Indian diaspora and praising Rahul Gandhi's initiative behind the international forum.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), meanwhile, criticised the event, branding it an "anti-Bharat summit" and accusing the Congress of providing a platform to foreign networks hostile to India's interests.
The MEA has maintained that visa decisions are sovereign functions, while the reported cancellations have triggered a political dispute over the participation of international speakers at the Hyderabad summit.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
