The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has defended India's handling of visa approvals and cancellations after allegations emerged that a significant number of foreign speakers invited to the Bharat Summit 2026 were either denied visas or had previously issued visas revoked ahead of the event.

Speaking during a media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that decisions regarding visas are a sovereign prerogative of every nation and government.

Responding to questions concerning claims that 115 out of 315 approved international speakers had been unable to secure visas for the summit, Jaiswal maintained that visa-related decisions fall exclusively within the jurisdiction of national authorities.

"I would like to say—and all of you are aware—that visa matters are sovereign functions of any country or any government. So that is what I have to say," Jaiswal stated.

Reiterating the same position in Hindi, he added that all matters related to visas remain part of the sovereign functions of every nation, country and government.

The controversy has emerged around the Bharat Summit 2026, a two-day international conference being held in Hyderabad on November 13 and 14. The event has been jointly organised by the Congress party and the Telangana government and has attracted participants from across the world.

Congress leaders, including Shashi Tharoor, have alleged that approximately 115 foreign invitees, among them Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng, were denied entry into India or had their visas cancelled at short notice. According to the allegations, several delegates had already obtained political clearance from the MEA before facing issues related to their travel permissions.

Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda also raised concerns over the situation, claiming that some overseas delegates encountered visa-related difficulties and discrepancies in visa categories.

He revealed that a panel discussion on the global economy, which he was scheduled to moderate, had been delayed so organisers could verify the visa status of a participant travelling from the United Kingdom.

Hooda described the alleged restrictions on foreign participants as unfortunate in a democratic nation governed by the Constitution. He argued that international exchanges of ideas and policy discussions should not be viewed through a political prism.

Meanwhile, Telangana Minister for Minorities Welfare and Public Enterprises Mohd Azharuddin expressed satisfaction with the opening day of the summit. He highlighted extensive discussions on issues affecting the Indian diaspora and praised Rahul Gandhi's role in initiating the international gathering.

The Bharat Summit 2026 has brought together around 1,000 delegates, policymakers, academics, political leaders and public intellectuals from nearly 70 countries. Discussions are focused on subjects including global geopolitics, democratic governance, climate change, artificial intelligence, international cooperation and progressive political ideas.

The issue has also triggered a sharp political confrontation. The Bharatiya Janata Party has criticised the gathering, describing it as an "anti-Bharat summit" and accusing the Congress of providing a platform to foreign networks that it claims are hostile to India's interests.

The dispute has consequently expanded beyond questions of visa administration into a broader political debate over international engagement, freedom of exchange at global forums and the government's discretion in determining who is permitted to enter the country for high-profile events.

ANI