The administration in Jammu and Kashmir constituted a high-powered committee of senior government officials to oversee the preparations related to G20 event on Monday.
The 16-member committee includes senior government officials and the Jammu and Kashmir police force, including Director General Dilbag Singh and state intelligence chief R.R. Swain.
“In view of the visit of officials from G20 participating countries [and] organizations to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, sanction is hereby accorded to the constitution of a Committee to oversee the preparations related to G20 event in the Union territory,” the government directive reads.
In total, more than 200 meetings are scheduled across India ahead of the G20 Summit on September 9 and 10, 2023. It is unknown how many are scheduled to be held in Jammu and Kashmir.
China & Pakistan Protest G20 Events in Kashmir
Keeping scenic Kashmir as one of the venues for the meetings has created ripples through diplomatic circles, namely in neighboring China and Pakistan which both lay claims to parts of the region.
On June 26, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad called on the global community to prevent G20 meetings in Jammu and Kashmir.
For its part, Beijing backed Islamabad, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian stating, "We call on all major economies to focus on steady recovery of the world economy, avoid politicizing relevant cooperation and make positive contributions to improving global economic governance."
Senior officials in the region told Sputnik that the administration has been directed to maintain a strong vigil in order to maintain order in the region ahead of the planned meetings.