Bengaluru, June 20 (IANS) Minister for RDPR, IT and BT, Priyank Kharge, has written a letter to the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday seeking clarification on denial of political clearance for an official visit to the United States.

In his letter, Minister Kharge stated, “I am writing to seek a formal clarification from the Ministry of External Affairs on the denial of political clearance for my scheduled official visit to the United States from June 14-27, 2025.”

“The visit was planned around two significant international forums, the BIO International Convention in Boston and the Design Automation Conference (DAC) in San Francisco, as well as several official meetings with top companies, universities and institutions, where I was to represent the Government of Karnataka to explore collaborations, attract investments and create employment opportunities for the state,” he said.

“In the absence of a formal communication from the Ministry outlining the reasons for denial, it becomes difficult to assess and plan future engagements of this nature. It also raises concerns about the consistency of the process, especially when the visits are official, sector-critical and in National Interest,” Minister Kharge noted.

“I would, therefore, request the Ministry to kindly provide a formal explanation for the denial and consider a more transparent and consultative approach in handling such official engagements in the future,” Priyank Kharge demanded.

Karnataka is the technology capital and growth engine of not just India, but the Asia-Pacific region. It has emerged as a global leader in innovation and start-ups, consistently maintaining its position at the forefront of information technology, biotechnology, electronics design and manufacturing, aerospace, space technology and Defence production, he further stated.

This leadership has been built through a dynamic ecosystem powered by forward-looking State-led policies and deep global partnerships, earning Karnataka its status as a preferred destination for international collaboration and investment, Kharge stated.

“Given Karnataka’s unique leadership as stated above, the absence of ministerial-level representation during an official visit of such significance is a lost opportunity to further elevate India’s engagement, strengthen confidence among global partners and demonstrate the seriousness with which we approach these sectors. More importantly, participation in such visits are aligned with our National priorities and would have directly supported the larger vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ laid out by the Prime Minister,” Kharge emphasised.

Commenting on the Central government’s denial of permission for his visit to the US, Minister Priyank Kharge had stated on Thursday that the NDA government was attempting to undermine Karnataka’s success.

Speaking to reporters at the Bengaluru International Airport after returning from a tour of Paris, Priyank Kharge had said, “It seems they are trying to prevent Karnataka’s success.”

“It is okay if they reject the permission, but there must be valid reasons for doing so. If they provide appropriate reasons, it becomes acceptable. However, the categorical denial of permission for the US visit is not right,” he stated.

“We were not going to the US to play ‘Dandiya’ (a traditional dance form). I will meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to discuss this matter. After the discussion, we will brief the media,” he said.

“The Central government must provide valid reasons for refusing the visit to the US. Initially, the entire delegation was denied permission. Later, the delegation was cleared, but I was still denied permission,” Kharge said.

–IANS

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