Norwegian Journalist Helle Lyng Says India Cancelled Visa Before Hyderabad Bharat Summit
Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng has stated that she was barred from travelling to India to attend the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad despite holding an approved visa, according to The Hindu. Lyng, who reports for the Oslo-based daily newspaper Dagsavisen, said the Indian Embassy in Norway contacted her approximately 10 minutes before her planned departure for the airport to inform her that she could not travel. In a video statement posted on social media platform X, Lyng stated that orders from above within the Ministry of Home Affairs had cancelled her entry visa. Documents accessed by The Hindu showed that an entry visa was initially granted by authorities and revoked later prior to her journey. Lyng appealed to Home Minister Amit Shah to allow her visit, noting that 48 hours still remained before her scheduled session.
Summit Invitation and Scheduled Panel Session
Lyng had been invited to participate as a panellist and speaker at the Congress-organised Bharat Summit scheduled for 13-14 November in Hyderabad. She was listed to address a Day 2 session on 14 November examining media, press freedom, and democracy, according to summit programming details. The scheduled panel also included Leonard Novy, director of the Institute for Media and Communications, alongside Sangeeta Baruah Pisharoty, president of the Press Club of India. Francesco Lapenta, director of the Institute of Future and Innovation Studies, was also named as a panellist, with the discussion set to be moderated by Pawan Khera, chairperson of INC Communications.
Diplomatic Background and Previous Questioning of Prime Minister Modi
Lyng associated the entry denial with events in May 2026, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to Norway for diplomatic discussions alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store. Following joint statements in Oslo, Lyng attempted to question Modi directly on why he did not field questions from reporters, before he departed without responding. At a subsequent media briefing, Lyng questioned Ministry of External Affairs Secretary West Sibi George regarding India's human rights record and media access. George rejected the allegations by pointing to constitutional guarantees of justice, liberty, and freedom of expression, as well as India's democratic traditions.
Immigration Authority and Institutional Reactions
Under Section 7 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, the Central Government retains statutory authority to restrict or prohibit the entry of foreign nationals into India. Rule 9 of the Immigration and Foreigners Rules 2025 empowers the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian embassies, and the Bureau of Immigration to grant or cancel visas. The Editors Guild of India expressed deep concern over the last-minute visa revocation and urged authorities to disclose the underlying reasons and reverse the decision. Summit organiser Pushparaj Deshpande described the travel obstruction as deeply unfortunate, while the Ministry of External Affairs declined to provide comment. The Editors Guild of India issued a formal statement signed by President Sanjay Kapoor and General Secretary Raghavan Srinivasan calling on authorities to explain and reverse the visa revocation, according to Moneylife.