NEW DELHI (Arrahmah.id) – Tourism officials from G20 countries gathered in Kashmir under tight security on Monday (22/5/2023), amid a boycott by several forum member states.

This Muslim-majority region is entirely claimed by India but partly controlled by its big rivals, India and Pakistan, which have fought two wars for control of the region. The disputed region has also witnessed decades of struggle against Indian rule.

The meeting, which took place this year under India’s G20 presidency, is the first major international event in Kashmir since New Delhi revoked its special autonomy status and split it into two federally administered regions – Jammu and Kashmir – in 2019.

“Events like the G20 used to be met with calls for strike action from Islamabad and shops were closed,” Jitendra Singh, India’s science and technology minister from Jammu, said at the opening of the meeting. .

“Now all the stores are open.”

Pakistan, which is not a member of the G20, in April called the meeting “irresponsible”.

Since the 2019 reforms, this region known for its rolling Himalayan foothills has become a tourist hotspot for domestic visitors, with Indian authorities seeking to attract more economic activity to Kashmir by also courting foreign investors.

Srinagar’s mall and roads have been tidied up for the G20 meeting, while security has been beefed up across the city with additional CCTV surveillance, counter-drone units and a marine commando under the elite of the National Security Guard. Mobility restrictions for civilians have also been imposed on major roads.

Altaf Hussain, former journalist BBC and a political analyst based in Srinagar, says the Indian government is trying to project normality in the region.

“By inviting an international delegation to Srinagar, New Delhi wants to show that all is normal in the valley and its decision to cancel the region’s special status has reduced militancy in the region,” Hussain said.

Over 60 delegates from G20 member countries are expected to attend the tourism event in Srinagar.

China, meanwhile, said on Friday it would not attend because Beijing “strongly opposes holding any form of G20 meeting in the disputed region.” Other bloc members, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Indonesia, are also expected to stay away, according to reports.

“It’s an interesting situation,” Prof. Siddiq Wahid, a political analyst from Srinagar, said. Arab News. “The withdrawal of a number of countries from the G20 event in Kashmir is an important statement.”

As chair of the G20, India will host a summit in September, at which leaders of the world’s largest economy, which includes 19 nations and the European Union, are expected. This group represents about 80% of the world’s economic output and two-thirds of the world’s population.

“This is a complex situation that shows distrust of India’s foreign policy,” Wahid said. (zarahamala/arrahmah.id)