Saudi Arabia and China have boycott the G20 meeting to be held in Kashmir

The meeting which is a tourism working group that will be attended by about 60 delegates from most G20 countries taking place from Monday to Wednesday in Kashmir. This has led to a large security arrangement at Srinagar international airport. This decision has led to China and Saudi Arabia to boycott the meeting.

In 2019 the Indian Government stripped the disputed Muslim-majority region of semi-autonomy and then divided into 2 federal territories in order to integrate it fully into India. Indian authorities are hoping that the changes done would show “peace and prosperity” to the region. China has stated that it won’t attend the meeting and has firm opposition “to holding any kind of G20 meetings in disputed territory.” Pakistan who is not a G20 member also states that the decision is irresponsible. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Indonesia were also expected to stay away. Former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti stated that India has turned the region into the equivalent of the Guantanamo Bay prison and accused Modi of hijacking the G20 for its promotional purposes.

Fernand de Varennes, the UN’s special rapporteur on minority issued stated the G20 was “unwittingly providing a veneer of support to a façade of normalcy” during the time when human rights violations, illegal arrests were escalating in Kashmir.

For the security of the meeting India’s elite National Security Guard, including its counter-drone unit and marine commandos, will be helping the police and paramilitary forces to secure the event venues.