Hyderabad is set to host one of the biggest political gatherings of the year. The Congress on Tuesday announced the second edition of the Bharat Summit, an international meet that will bring around 1,000 delegates from 70 countries to the Telangana capital from November 12 to 14. The main sessions will be held on November 13 and 14.
Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, who heads the party’s Foreign Affairs Department, announced the summit at a press conference in New Delhi. He said the three-day gathering would focus on the political vision of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, the emergence of a new global order, and India’s place in it.
The summit is being hosted by the Congress-led Telangana government, and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s administration is handling the arrangements. International sessions will be held at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, while Telangana-focused sessions will take place at HITEX.
Who is attending
Rahul Gandhi is likely to attend the summit and address the concluding session on November 14, according to Telangana Congress chief B. Mahesh Kumar Goud. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have been invited to attend.
The guest list goes well beyond the Congress. Around 70 think tanks are expected to take part, along with policymakers, academics, business representatives and civil society members from nearly 70 countries. A delegation from Brazil’s Workers’ Party, the party of four-time president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is also due to attend.
Sam Pitroda, chair of the Indian Overseas Congress, is one of the architects of the summit along with Khurshid. Shashi Tharoor is among the senior Congress leaders expected to participate.
Khurshid said the summit would not include neighbouring countries. He added that approvals for all foreign delegates have to come through the Ministry of External Affairs.
What will be discussed
The summit’s agenda is wide. The 12 international sessions will cover the changing world order, geopolitical developments, global economic cooperation, democracy, climate change, gender equality, foreign policy and electoral integrity. The role of media in protecting information integrity is also on the list.
Eight sessions will focus on Telangana under the theme “Telangana Rising”, showcasing the state’s development initiatives and deliberating on urbanisation, cooperative federalism, social justice and welfare.
One of the outcomes the organisers are working towards is the formation of a new think tank called “Our World”, which Khurshid said would carry forward the discussions after the summit ends.
- 12 international sessions and 8 Telangana-focused sessions over three days
- Around 1,000 delegates from 70 countries, plus 70 think tanks
- Focus on democracy, the global order, climate change and electoral integrity
- New think tank “Our World” to be launched
Why the timing matters
The summit coincides with the 137th birth anniversary of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on November 14. That date also marks the day Rahul Gandhi is expected to address the closing session, where he is set to outline his view of India’s place in the emerging global order.
Khurshid was open about the political ambition behind the event. “The intention, the hope, and the expectation is the vision of Rahul Gandhi for India and the world of tomorrow, the emergence of the new global order, and how that is to be handled by the country,” he said. “Both today, when we are in the opposition, and tomorrow, in 2029, when we will have our top leaders in positions of constitutional power.”
Goud said Rahul Gandhi is also likely to address a meeting of gig workers in Hyderabad on November 14. The Telangana Assembly passed the Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Bill in June this year, and the party has been keen to highlight the law as a model for worker welfare.
Second edition, higher stakes
This is the second Bharat Summit. The first edition was held on April 25 and 26, 2025, also in Hyderabad. That event drew attention, but also criticism: Rahul Gandhi addressed only one session on the final day. This time, the party has put his vision at the centre of the summit’s pitch, and his closing address on November 14 will be closely watched.
The summit comes at a time when the Congress is trying to build its international profile and present an alternative view of global politics. Whether the gathering produces concrete ideas or remains largely a statement of intent will become clear once the sessions begin on Thursday.
FAQs
When is the Bharat Summit 2026?
The summit runs from November 12 to 14, 2026, in Hyderabad. The main international sessions are scheduled for November 13 and 14.
Where will the Bharat Summit be held?
International sessions will be held at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC), while Telangana-focused sessions will take place at HITEX.
How many delegates are expected?
Around 1,000 delegates from 70 countries are expected, along with representatives of around 70 think tanks.
Will Rahul Gandhi attend?
Rahul Gandhi is likely to attend and address the concluding session on November 14. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have also been invited.
What is the Bharat Summit about?
It is the Congress party’s international gathering of progressive political leaders, policymakers and thinkers, focused on democracy, the emerging global order, climate change, gender equality and India’s foreign policy.
The Bharat Summit opens in Hyderabad on Thursday, and all eyes will be on the closing session on November 14.
