Apr 22nd, 2023, 05:00 PM (IST)
Five of our soldiers were martyred in a horrific attack by terrorists on Apr 20th in Poonch, Jammu, and Kashmir.
India is set to push for the 3rd G20 Tourism Working Group meeting (TWG) to be held on May 22-24 despite opposition from Pakistan and China, which raised another objection last month.
Out of four G20 Tourism Working Group meetings, two G20 meetings have already taken place and Srinagar’s G20 event will be the third.
. The first one was the ‘Rann of Kutch’ Tourism working group, Gujarat was held on 7-9 Feb, 2023.
. The 2nd was Siliguri/Darjeeling, West Bengal held on 3-5 April 2023.
Countries Against G20 Meeting (TWG) in Srinagar
While Pakistan allied with China, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey to stop the G-20 meeting in Srinagar.
Beijing responded to the group’s meeting in Arunachal Pradesh last month by inventing names for 11 places in the state to bolster its claim over the territory. It has often opposed funding from multilateral agencies in Arunachal Pradesh.
The G20 meeting in Arunachal Pradesh was attended by about 50 delegates and the government is expecting a similar response to the events in Srinagar.
The 3rd G20 event in Srinagar will be an opportunity to give a befitting reply to Pakistan’s claims of human rights violations in the Kashmir Valley as well as the terror attacks in Poonch even if they are related to the G20 meeting. India wants to make the G-20 meeting a success by including more than 100 delegates.
The Government of India also wants to send a message to the world through this event that the situation in the Union Territory has become normal.
Strong Opposition from Pakistan & China
Firstly, Pakistan is not a part of the G20 membership, but it is still opposing the G20 meeting as it would completely disregard the globally accepted disputed status of the region.
China last year expressed its disapproval of the G20 meeting by asking relevant parties not to complicate the situation by taking unilateral decisions.
Pakistan also added that “Any such controversial proposal from India would be designed to seek International legitimacy for an illegal and tyrannical occupation continuing for over seven decades”.
Last year, there was a little bit of uproar over the G-20 event going to be held soon, after which both Pakistan and China came together and expressed their displeasure over the meeting that if any decision is made alone, it will create a complicated situation.
Globally people view Jammu and Kashmir as dangerous places to travel especially in the US and the UK after which the government removed Article 370 and recognized all parts of Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India.
Pakistan is still trying to make false allegations as if India cares.
G20 (TWG) Events
The months of April-June have been chosen for Srinagar and Leh keeping in view the weather when the region is at the peak of its beauty, the report said.
The 215 G20 meetings have been planned in such a way that almost all state capitals and union territories host at least one major event during India’s G20 presidency. As per reports, apart from all the northeastern states, Srinagar Leh has also been included in the list.
Leh has been selected for the Youth 20 Inception meeting in April and Srinagar is hosting the Tourism Working Group meet in May.
Huge Opportunity for India
A senior police officer said that “This is a tourism stakeholders’ meeting and this will also boost the tourism potential of J&K.”
Official sources said the Union Territory (UT) administration is looking forward to hosting more than 100 non-ministerial members representing the G20 nations. A security plan with multi-layered security arrangements and traffic diversion has been worked out for the event, the official said. Preparations are in the final stage in Srinagar.
The main venue of the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on the banks of Dal Lake is getting a makeover worth ₹7.5 crore, which includes upgrading digital infrastructure and refurbishing the exterior and interiors.
The Union Territory Administration is planning to take the delegates, who will be in Kashmir for four days, on a sightseeing trip to Gulmarg, Baramulla, and Dachingam National Park, which is known for the Kashmiri deer.
Innovating Venues to Impress the Guest
The road from Srinagar to Gulmarg, Narbal-Gulmarg section is being given a facelift. Welcome boards and signboards are being put up in Gulmarg, an official said.
Trout fish farm in Dachigam is being revamped and Nehru Guest House and other huts in Chashmashahi are being renovated. Huts are also being remodeled at Dachigam National Park, Srinagar, which can be used to host the delegates.
Officials said that the Union Territory Administration has set up a special medical task force with advanced life-saving mobile ambulances at the sites and on the way to the excursion sites.Top hotels in Srinagar including Taj Vivanta and Lalit Grand Palace will be booked for the delegates.
A road upgradation project is underway from Srinagar Airport Road to Foreshore Road, where several stretches will be given a new landscape look and flyovers will be painted.
Grand Geo-Political Message
Kashmir was sealed off as a no-go zone by several foreign countries including the US, UK, Germany, and France – the new leading lights of the G20. These countries had issued travel advisories for their citizens as they listed Kashmir as a dangerous place to travel. G20 meetings will serve local-people benefits as they are hoping.
The people await the international event with hope and promise. Kashmiris know that the time has come to undo all the bad things that happened in the past.
About two million domestic tourists are expected to visit the Valley in 2022 and almost all of them either stay or pass through Srinagar, but this told only one side of the story Srinagar is safe for tourists but the need for international branding is rooted in the G20 meeting.
These are to be measured not in terms of more tourists, but as a stable destination for investment which will work in two ways-:
1. Training local youth in trades enables them to compete internationally.
2. The global talent reaching them.
This is a manifestation of the economic urge among the people, as they know that a successful G20 meeting will bring economic benefits to them.
Conclusion
The G20 meeting will also take place among several proposed high-level talks with Beijing over the next few months. Chinese Defense and Foreign Ministers are expected to visit India soon for SCO (Shanghai Corporate Organization) meetings.
This time India has the presidency of both G20 and SCO.
India is currently in touch with China, Russia, and other member states to finalize the dates for the SCO summit in July. If Chinese President Xi Jinping turns up for the meeting, it would open up the possibility of his first bilateral meeting with PM Narendra Modi since the ongoing military standoff in eastern Ladakh in April 2020.