elangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s proposed visit to the United States has been cancelled after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) denied political clearance for the trip. The development was confirmed by the Telangana Chief Minister’s Office on August 21, 2026.
Revanth Reddy is currently in London as part of an overseas programme organised under the TelanganaRising initiative. He was scheduled to travel from the UK to Boston and New York before returning to Hyderabad on August 30. Following the Centre’s decision, however, the Chief Minister will return to Hyderabad from London on August 23 instead of travelling to the US.
Why was the US visit cancelled?
According to the MEA, political clearance for visits by chief ministers and other dignitaries is assessed by the ministry. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the programme proposed for such visits must be appropriate to the office held by the dignitary and the stated purpose of the visit. The ministry said the proposed US programme did not conform to the required norms.
The Telangana government, however, described the decision as a denial of political clearance. The Chief Minister’s Office said it had sought permission for both the UK and US legs of the tour. While clearance was granted for the UK visit, permission for the US leg was not granted, with the decision communicated after the delegation had already reached Britain.
What was the purpose of Revanth Reddy’s US visit?
The proposed American leg was connected with Telangana’s efforts to develop international partnerships, particularly in education, skills and higher learning. The Chief Minister had planned engagements with leading educational institutions, with the state seeking collaborations that could benefit students and young people in Telangana.
Despite Revanth Reddy’s cancellation, officials from the Telangana delegation have been instructed to continue with the planned US engagements. They are expected to work towards memoranda of understanding and other partnerships with institutions including Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Northeastern University and Virginia Tech.
Revanth Reddy’s reaction
Revanth Reddy expressed disappointment over the Centre’s decision but said he would comply with it. He argued that the main objective of the proposed US visit was to attract leading international educational institutions to Telangana and Hyderabad and create opportunities in education, skills and training for young people.
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