Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng has been barred from traveling to India despite holding both a valid visa and political clearance. According to Lyng, the Indian Embassy in Norway contacted her just 10 minutes before she was scheduled to leave for the airport to inform her of the decision.
Lyng was bound for Hyderabad, where she was set to participate as a speaker on press freedom and democracy at the Bharat Summit, an event organized by the Indian National Congress. She alleged that the abrupt revocation of her travel authorization was the result of “orders from above” originating from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs.
The incident follows an encounter in May 2026 that brought Lyng significant media attention in India. In the midst of Prime Minister Modi’s official visit to Oslo, Lyng publicly questioned him regarding his practice of not taking questions from the press, a moment that sparked widespread discussion at the time.
News Edit KV Raman
