On 19th May, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared the video of Norwegian journalist Helle Lyng heckling Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his post on X, Gandhi wrote, “When there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear. What happens to India’s image when the world sees a compromised PM panic and run from a few questions?” In reply to his post, Lyng sought time from him for a telephonic interview.
Hello, would you be available for a phone interview Tuesday Norwegian time. It would be interesting to hear how you view the visit to Norway.
— Helle Lyng (@HelleLyngSvends) May 18, 2026
His actions have once again drawn attention to how Gandhi has visited Norway multiple times over the years and met leaders, businessmen and the diaspora. Publicly available details show that Gandhi has made at least three known visits to Norway, where his meetings ranged from climate discussions and green mobility briefings to political interactions and diaspora engagements. However, the real intent behind these visits is unknown.
The 2017 Norway visit
The first visit of Rahul Gandhi to Norway on record took place in August 2017. He visited Tromso, Oslo and Bergen during a week long trip. Media reports from that time suggest that the Congress had decided to send him on foreign study tours so he could be exposed to “new technologies and ideas” and bring “new thought” into policy discussions.
During the visit, he met business leaders, politicians and civil servants. In Tromsø, he was briefed on Arctic climate issues and also met the mayor. In Oslo, he reportedly discussed the welfare state, pensions, sustainable transport and carbon capture. In Bergen, the focus shifted to aquaculture, marine resources and polar research.
The 2018 green mobility visit
The second reported visit took place in August 2018. Gandhi visited the Oslo region, including the Lillestrom area, where he studied Norway’s electric car success and green mobility model. He interacted with officials, clean tech representatives and hydrogen mobility experts, and also test drove a Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car. Again, the media information is only limited to the positive outcomes of his visits. The real intentions, which should be put under scrutiny, are unknown.
The 2023 Europe tour and Oslo leg
In September 2023, Gandhi visited Europe, including Brussels, Paris, The Hague and Oslo. In Oslo, he addressed an interactive session at the University of Oslo, met former Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg and MP Sverre Myrli, and engaged with the Indian diaspora. He visited Oslo with Sam Pitroda, Dr Arathi Krishna and others.
The same tour had already raised questions after his Brussels meetings with MEPs such as Pierre Larrouturou and Alviina Alametsa, who were linked to the EU resolution on Manipur that India had firmly rejected as interference in its internal affairs.
