India denies entry to 115 international speakers for democracy summit
Indian authorities have blocked 115 international speakers from attending a democracy summit in Hyderabad, drawing criticism from opposition leaders and media watchdogs.
The Indian government has blocked 115 international speakers from attending a democracy summit organized by the opposition Congress party in Hyderabad, according to reports from Nagarik News, Ratopati, Khabarhub, and Kendrabindu. The two-day event, which began on Friday, November 13, 2026, has faced significant controversy following the sudden cancellation of visas and entry permissions for a large portion of the invited delegates.
Shashi Tharoor, a Congress member of parliament and former senior United Nations official, stated that the Ministry of External Affairs had initially cleared 315 international speakers for the event. However, 115 of these individuals subsequently had their visas revoked or were denied entry. Tharoor suggested that the Ministry of Home Affairs likely directed the move, though he noted that the government has not provided a clear legal justification for the action. He described the situation as a "shameful" development for a democracy that appears to be suppressing critical voices.
Among those denied entry is Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen, who had been invited to speak on the future of media and press freedom. Svendsen reported that her visa was cancelled shortly before her scheduled departure, despite having received prior authorization. She previously gained international attention in May 2026 for questioning Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding press freedom during a joint press conference in Oslo, after which the Prime Minister left the event without offering a response.
The Editors Guild of India has publicly condemned the government's actions, characterizing the visa cancellations as "administrative overreach." The organization has called upon the government to disclose the reasoning behind the decision and to reverse the restrictions.
While the summit continues with approximately 1,000 delegates from over 70 countries, the event has become a point of political contention. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticized the summit, with leader G. Kishan Reddy alleging that the event is a political maneuver by the Congress party intended to harm India's international reputation and discourage foreign investment. Conversely, the Congress party maintains that the summit serves as a vital platform for discussing global challenges, including climate change, artificial intelligence, and economic justice.
As of Friday, neither the Indian Ministry of External Affairs nor the Ministry of Home Affairs had issued an official explanation regarding the denial of entry for the speakers. The summit is scheduled to conclude on Saturday with an address by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.