Bharat Summit Visa Row: MEA Says Visa Decisions Are Sovereign, Defends India's Stand

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has defended India's handling of visa clearances for international delegates attending the Bharat Summit 2026, stating that decisions on issuing or denying visas fall within the sovereign authority of every country.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal made the remarks during a media briefing on Friday, November 13, amid allegations that several foreign speakers invited to the summit in Hyderabad had been denied visas or had their clearances revoked.

Responding to questions about claims that 115 of the 315 approved speakers had failed to secure visas, Jaiswal said visa-related decisions were a matter of national jurisdiction. "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 his position in Hindi, he added, "As you are aware, all matters related to visas fall within the domain of sovereign functions for any nation, any country, or any government." The MEA's response comes amid allegations by Opposition leaders, including former Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor and Congress MPs, that around 115 of the 315 foreign speakers invited to the summit were denied entry into India or had their visas revoked at the last minute.

The Congress leaders alleged that the decisions were taken by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs despite the speakers having received prior political clearance from the MEA. Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng was among those reportedly affected.

Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda also raised concerns over alleged visa denials and discrepancies in visa categories faced by international delegates attending the event. Hooda said a panel on the global economy that he was scheduled to moderate had to be delayed while the visa status of a participant from the United Kingdom was verified.

He described the blocking or questioning of foreign invitees' participation as "unfortunate" in a democratic country governed by the Constitution. He also said international exchanges of ideas should not be viewed through a political lens.

Telangana Minorities Welfare and Public Enterprises Minister Mohd Azharuddin expressed satisfaction with the opening day of the Bharat Summit 2026 in Hyderabad on Friday. He noted that the event had witnessed extensive discussions on the Indian diaspora and praised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's initiative behind the international forum.

The two-day Bharat Summit, being held on November 13 and 14, has brought together around 1,000 delegates, policymakers and thinkers from 70 countries. The discussions are centred on global geopolitics, democracy, climate change, artificial intelligence and progressive politics.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Gaurav Gogoi, Salman Khurshid and Shashi Tharoor are among the senior leaders participating in the deliberations. The BJP has launched a counterattack against the Congress over the event, describing it as an "anti-Bharat summit".

The party has accused the Congress of providing a platform to foreign networks that it claims are hostile to India's interests. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that visa decisions are a sovereign function of every country.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that visa matters fall within national jurisdiction.