Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng Svendsen has been prevented from travelling to India after Indian authorities cancelled her visa shortly before her planned departure from Oslo on Wednesday, 11 November 2026. She was scheduled to speak about press freedom and the future of journalism at the Bharat Summit in Hyderabad.
According to Indian news outlet The Wire, Svendsen, a commentator with Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen, had already received a visa and political clearance for the conference when the Indian Embassy in Oslo informed her that she could not travel.
In a video posted on X, Svendsen said the embassy called just ten minutes before she was due to leave for the airport.
She claimed that the cancellation followed “orders from above” in India’s Ministry of Home Affairs.
The incident comes six months after Svendsen attracted international attention for questioning Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Norway in May.
At a joint press appearance with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, she called out to Modi:
“Prime Minister Modi, why don’t you take some questions from the freest press in the world?”
Modi left without answering her question. A video of the exchange subsequently circulated widely on social media, attracting considerable attention in India.
Svendsen later challenged Indian foreign ministry officials over press freedom and human rights. According to Norwegian journalism magazine Journalisten, she subsequently experienced online threats, deepfake attacks and temporary suspension of her social media accounts.
In her latest video, Svendsen suggested that the visa cancellation might be connected to her questioning of Modi and her subsequent criticism of his government.
She said she found the decision difficult to understand, particularly as she had already received permission to attend the conference.
The Bharat Summit, scheduled for 13–14 November in Hyderabad, brings together politicians, journalists and international participants. Svendsen was invited to participate in a panel discussion on the future of media.
In her video message, she appealed directly to Indian Home Minister Amit Shah to reconsider the decision, pointing out that there was still time for her to reach Hyderabad before her scheduled appearance.
The Indian government has not publicly explained the cancellation. The Wire reported on Thursday that it had requested comments from both the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs but had not received a response.
It remains unclear whether the decision was connected to Svendsen’s previous criticism of the Indian government.
