India cancels visa for Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen
- Helle Lyng Svendsen's visa was cancelled shortly before her trip to India.
- The journalist was scheduled to speak at the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad.
- Svendsen alleges the cancellation came from 'orders from above' in the MHA.
- She links the move to her questioning PM Modi in Oslo in May 2026.
- Indian government ministries have not commented on the visa revocation.
Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen alleged on Wednesday that the Indian embassy in Oslo cancelled her visa and prevented her from traveling to India. Helle Lyng was denied entry into the country despite holding a valid visa.
The embassy instructed Svendsen not to travel only 10 minutes before she was scheduled to leave for the airport. Helle Lyng reported that she had been stopped from visiting India.
Bharat Summit invitation and visa revocation
Svendsen was invited to speak as a panelist at the Congress party's Bharat Summit in Hyderabad regarding the future of media and press freedom. The visa cancellation occurred at the last minute ahead of this event.
Svendsen stated she had received political clearance and a visa, but she alleged that "orders from above" in the Ministry of Home Affairs caused the cancellation. The journalist stated that her visa for the Congress event was cancelled, and she was informed that the decision came from "Orders from above".
The journalist claimed her visa was revoked shortly before the Bharat Summit and she addressed Amit Shah regarding the situation. Helle Lyng Svendsen stated that India cancelled her visa before the Hyderabad Summit.
Questioning of Prime Minister Modi in Oslo
Svendsen suggests the visa revocation is politically motivated and linked to her interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Oslo. On May 18, 2026, she questioned the Prime Minister about why he does not take questions from the press.
During the joint press meet, Modi left the podium without answering her inquiry. The journalist previously questioned the Prime Minister during his visit to the Norwegian capital. The journalist, who had previously questioned Prime Minister Modi, reported that her visa for India was revoked at the last minute.
Speculated reasons for entry denial
Svendsen speculated that her criticism of the governance of Modi may have influenced the decision made by the government. She also pointed to her reporting on billionaires Adani and Ambani as a potential factor for the entry denial.
She noted that her positive coverage of the Cockroach Janta Party and its founder Abhijeet Dipke might have triggered the official action.
Silence from Indian government ministries
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has not provided any comment regarding the allegations made by the journalist. The Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy have also remained silent on the visa revocation.
No official response has been issued by Indian authorities to address these claims.
Historical context of press interactions
Following the May 18 incident, Amit Malviya, then head of the BJP’s publicity cell, characterized the question of Svendsen as a "delinquent journalist’s incoherent rant". Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated that the reaction of the Prime Minister to the question undermined the image of India.
Since taking office in 2014, the Prime Minister has avoided press conferences, with the exception of media meets in the United Kingdom in 2015 and the United States in 2023.
At a later press event in Oslo, a Ministry of External Affairs official spoke for 13 minutes without directly answering questions regarding human rights or the willingness of the Prime Minister to take critical inquiries.
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