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Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s planned US visit has been cancelled after the Centre denied political clearance for the trip
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s planned United States visit has been cancelled after the Centre denied permission for the US leg of his foreign tour, triggering a political controversy between the Congress-led Telangana government and the Union government.
Reddy, who was leading the Telangana Rising delegation on a 10-day UK-US tour, will now return to Hyderabad from London on August 23 instead of travelling to Boston for scheduled meetings with global universities and institutions. The cancellation has sparked questions over the process of political clearance for chief ministers travelling abroad for official engagements.
The Telangana government has maintained that the US visit was focused on education partnerships, skill development, investment opportunities and building Hyderabad as a global knowledge hub. Congress leaders have questioned the Centre’s decision, alleging that development initiatives should not be affected due to political differences.
The Telangana Chief Minister’s Office confirmed that the US leg of the Telangana Rising delegation was cancelled after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) denied political clearance.
According to the state government, the Centre approved Revanth Reddy’s UK visit but rejected permission for the United States programme after the delegation had already reached London. The decision forced the Chief Minister to change his travel schedule. Instead of flying from London to Boston, Reddy will return to Hyderabad.
The proposed US tour was scheduled to include meetings with some of the world’s leading educational institutions, including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Northeastern University and Virginia Tech. The objective was to explore academic collaborations, research partnerships and skill development programmes for students in Telangana.
The Centre’s decision has triggered a political debate in Telangana, with Congress leaders questioning the reason behind denying clearance for a visit linked to education and development.
Congress leaders argued that international visits by elected representatives play an important role in attracting investments, creating global partnerships and improving opportunities for young people. The party questioned whether political considerations should influence administrative decisions related to education, employment and economic development.
The Telangana government has described the visit as part of its broader vision to strengthen the state’s human resource ecosystem and connect students with global institutions. The Union government has not provided detailed public reasons for denying permission beyond the clearance process.
Reacting to the development, Revanth Reddy maintained that issues related to nation-building, education and the future of young people should remain above political disagreements.
The Chief Minister said the purpose of the foreign visit was to bring leading international educational institutions closer to Telangana and create opportunities for students to access advanced learning, research and professional training.
He said the Telangana Rising initiative would continue despite political challenges and focus on transforming Hyderabad into a global centre for education, innovation and skills.
Reddy also instructed officials in the delegation to continue with the planned US programme and complete discussions and proposed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with educational institutions.
The cancelled US visit was part of Telangana’s ambitious plan to promote Hyderabad as a global education and technology destination. The state government highlighted the role of major institutions such as Osmania University, University of Hyderabad, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, IIT Hyderabad, Indian School of Business, IIIT Hyderabad and NALSAR University of Law in developing the city’s talent ecosystem.
Officials believe partnerships with international universities can strengthen research, innovation and skill development opportunities in Telangana. The government has also pointed to Hyderabad’s strong technology sector, startup ecosystem and presence of multinational companies and Global Capability Centres (GCCs) as major advantages.
Foreign visits by chief ministers and state ministers require approval from the Centre under existing government procedures. Applications for overseas official visits are examined by different government departments, including the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and Cabinet Secretariat.
Political clearance is considered an important part of the approval process, particularly when elected representatives undertake official engagements outside India. Similar disputes over foreign travel permissions have emerged in the past involving leaders from opposition-ruled states, leading to debates over Centre-state administrative powers.
Despite the cancellation of the US tour, Revanth Reddy will continue his scheduled meetings in the United Kingdom. The Chief Minister is expected to engage with representatives from leading institutions, including Oxford University, Cambridge University, London School of Economics, London Business School and the University of London.
The Telangana delegation will also explore collaborations in sports education, vocational training and skill development sectors. The state government believes these partnerships can support employment generation and prepare young people for future industries.
The Telangana government has been working to position Hyderabad as a global city for education, technology and innovation. The city already has a strong reputation in sectors such as information technology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, research and entrepreneurship.
The government believes bringing international universities and skill institutions to Telangana can reduce the need for students to travel abroad for quality education. Revanth Reddy has repeatedly promoted the idea of making Hyderabad a knowledge destination where Indian students can access opportunities linked to globally recognised institutions.
The cancellation of Revanth Reddy’s US visit has added a new issue to the ongoing political differences between the Congress government in Telangana and the BJP-led Centre. While the Telangana government says the trip was aimed at education, investment and youth development, Congress leaders have turned the issue into a larger debate over political interference in governance.
The focus now shifts to whether the proposed international partnerships will still be completed by the Telangana delegation and whether the controversy will impact future cooperation between the state and the Centre.
