Srinagar, July 7

Ladakh to hold G-20 meetings next year even as China and Pakistan have voiced opposition to India’s decision to hold the preparatory meetings in Jammu and Kashmir.

“In view of scheduled G-20 meetings and necessary coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (G-20 Secretariat), Govt. of India, sanction is hereby accorded to the nomination of Nodal Officers on behalf of the UT Administration of Ladakh,” reads an order issued by the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh RK Mathur. 

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India will assume the G-20 Presidency on December 1, 2022, from Indonesia, and will convene 190 meetings of the G-20 Leaders’ Summit for the first time in the country in 2023.

On June 23, the Jammu Kashmir administration constituted a five-member committee to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs on the G-20 meetings to be held in the UT.

“Sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of a committee for overall coordination of G-20 meetings to be held in the Union Territory of J&K,” reads an order issued by the General Administration Department of the Jammu and Kashmir government.

Ladakh Divisional Commissioner Saugat Biswas and Ladakh Deputy Inspector-General Sheikh Junaid Mehmood have been appointed as nodal officers for the region.

India’s proposal to hold the G-20 meetings in Jammu and Kashmir had invited objection from Pakistan, which said it hoped that members of the grouping would be fully cognizant of the imperatives of law and justice and oppose the proposal outright.

China rallied behind Pakistan, saying “relevant parties should avoid complicating the situation with the unilateral move”.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Chief Coordinator of the G-20 Secretariat in the Ministry of External Affairs wrote to chief secretaries of all the states and Union Territories that India’s Presidency of the G-20 provides a unique opportunity to place “our narrative in the global agenda and to showcase India’s development and cultural diversity”.

“The engagement and support of the states and UTs would be required at every stage of hosting the meetings, including guidance and facilitation on the identification of venues, accommodation of delegates and cultural events, visits to excursion sites, security, visa and immigration facilitation of the delegates, transport and other logistical arrangements, preparation of delegation kits to showcase the unique handicrafts and artistic heritage of the state,” read Shringla’s letter to the chief secretaries.