The Telangana Government on Friday began the second edition of the Bharat Summit 2026 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), positioning the two-day event as a platform to showcase the State’s investment potential and strengthen its international profile. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy described every participant as a “Telangana Ambassador” and said the summit was intended to promote the State as a preferred global investment destination.
The summit, themed “Forging a New World”, is being held on November 13 and 14, with nearly 1,000 delegates from more than 70 countries expected to participate.
Addressing a press conference, Revanth Reddy accused the Union Government of denying entry or cancelling visas for several invited foreign delegates and speakers. He alleged that the restrictions had affected the participation of individuals scheduled to speak at key sessions and amounted to an attempt to limit diverse and critical voices.
According to figures cited by the Chief Minister, around 113 to 115 of approximately 315 speakers who had received clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs were unable to attend because of last-minute restrictions. The allegations could not be independently verified from the information provided.
The Chief Minister said the summit brought together participants from different sectors and professional backgrounds and offered them an opportunity to experience Hyderabad’s heritage and Telangana’s industry-friendly policies.
Investment push ahead of December summit
Revanth Reddy described the Bharat Summit as a precursor to the Invest Telangana Global Summit, scheduled for December 7 to 9 at Bharat Future City. Curtain-raiser programmes have been held in Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai, with further events planned in Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal attended the Delhi curtain-raiser, while the Chief Minister criticised other Union Ministers for not participating in the State’s initiatives. Telangana aims to become a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and a $3 trillion economy by 2047, he said, underlining the role of investment and infrastructure development in achieving the targets.
CM targets BJP and BRS leaders
The press conference also saw the Chief Minister launch a sharp attack on Union Ministers G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, BJP State president N. Ramachander Rao and BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, accusing them of spreading “lies” about the summit and opposing major State projects.
He questioned the BJP’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi’s participation in the event and contrasted it with the party’s response to the Prime Minister’s overseas visits and speeches. “Criticising the BJP does not mean going against India. The Congress is India’s soul,” he said.
Revanth Reddy also defended the State’s proposed initiatives, including the Musi River rejuvenation project, Metro Rail expansion, Regional Ring Road and Tummidihatti project. He accused the BJP of adopting a dictatorial approach and urged it to respect democratic norms.
Rahul Gandhi to attend valedictory session
Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address the valedictory session on Saturday, November 14. He will also inaugurate the rollout of welfare measures under the Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2026, including notification of rules and the constitution of a welfare board.
He is also expected to interact with gig and platform workers. The Chief Minister said the State had enacted the legislation to provide social security and welfare support to workers in the platform-based economy, while alleging that the Centre had shown little interest in addressing their concerns.
Revanth Reddy also called for dialogue and international cooperation to promote global peace. Referring to constitutional amendments undertaken by successive governments, he said the Congress had amended the Constitution 106 times in the interest of good governance and urged political parties to uphold democratic values.
The summit concludes on Saturday, with the State Government seeking to use the gathering to build international partnerships and generate momentum ahead of its December investment summit.
