Bharat Summit takes off in Hyderabad today; Rahul Gandhi to participate in valedictory

Bharat Summit is being organised in the backdrop of the 80th year of India’s Independence and the 137th birth anniversary of the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru | Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT

Amid allegations of visas being denied to participants and journalists, the Bharat Summit, taking off today, is likely to ensure that Hyderabad emerges as an international destination for progressive political forces.

The second edition of the Bharat Summit is bringing together nearly 1,000 delegates from India and about 70 countries to deliberate on alternatives to right-wing policies and the emerging global order.

Rahul Gandhi to attend Bharat Summit

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi will arrive on Friday (November 13, 2026) night to participate in the valedictory on Saturday, when he is likely to lay out a roadmap of his vision and his ongoing struggle against ‘repressive and undemocratic’ governments, and explain how democratic values had shaped India’s foreign policies over the years.

The two-day summit, being supported by the Telangana government under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, will see the participation of policymakers, political leaders, thinkers and changemakers from across the Global South and Global North.

The gathering assumes significance as the first major international meeting of progressive leaders following electoral outcomes in Brazil, Hungary and Serbia, and comes soon after the United States mid-term elections. The summit is being organised in the backdrop of the 80th year of India’s Independence and the 137th birth anniversary of the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, MP and spokesperson of the Telangana Congress, said the summit seeks to revive the legacy of Afro-Asian solidarity and the Non-Aligned Movement, which India had helped shape, and provide a platform for progressive forces to discuss responses to contemporary political, economic and social challenges.

Among the prominent international participants will be former Netherlands Foreign Minister Bert Koenders, former Portuguese Minister Maria João Rodrigues, former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, former Côte d’Ivoire Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan, former Republic of Korea Foreign Affairs Minister Chung Eui-yong and Brazil Workers’ Party president Edinho Silva.

The panels will deliberate on a wide range of subjects, including artificial intelligence, cloud capitalism and the new world order, and a new economic deal for the world. A major component of the summit will be nine sessions under the Telangana Rising theme, showcasing the State government’s development vision and policy priorities.

Published - November 13, 2026 12:49 pm IST