SRINAGAR: Third G20 Tourism meeting that was organized from 22nd to 24th May at Srinagar recroded a grand Success. It witnessed overwhelming participation from 29 nations, including special invitees. China & Pakistan's endeavours to disrupt the Srinagar meeting failed miserably. While China officially "boycotted" the Meeting, its lobbying efforts with other G20 member countries did not yield the expected response.
It's possible that Beijing believed other nations would share its objections to the summit. The pressure on China to demonstrate its steadfast support for Pakistan on this matter may have increased as the opposition waned. In contrast, the official meetings and a number of side activities drew about 60 delegates from member nations and international groups. The events in Srinagar were attended by delegates and representatives from the G20 members Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the UK, the US, and the European Union.
Since New Delhi announced the G20 meeting in Srinagar, Pakistan has increased its Kashmir-focused propaganda in recent weeks. Through diplomatic channels, it attempted to forge a consensus among G20 participants and Islamic nations in order to call off the conference. Even though Saudi Arabia didn't send any representatives to the G20 summit, one from the travel sector was there.
Pakistan attempted to take advantage of Saudi Arabia and Turkey not sending representatives to the summit, as was to be expected. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Pakistan's foreign minister, also travelled to the occupied regions of Jammu and Kashmir from May 21 to May 23 in order to "express solidarity with Kashmiris against India's decision to hold a G20 meeting" in Srinagar. But given that Pakistan is not even a G20 member, his visit did little to internationalise Pakistan's anti-Indian narrative on the Kashmir dispute.
International media paid close attention to the G20 TWG meeting in Srinagar, with many focusing on India's efforts to promote the return of stability and normalcy in Kashmir. Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir are becoming more well-known as event and travel destinations on the global stage.
The Youth20 meeting, a G20 initiative, attracted more than 100 participants from more than 30 nations on April 26 in Ladakh. China reportedly exerted significant pressure on the participating youth organisation to boycott the Ladakh gathering, but these efforts were unsuccessful. India has so far had great success staging a number of official and side activities relevant to the G20 agendas, despite pressure from hostile nations outside.
The Srinagar gathering was buzzing with energy as representatives from several nations participated in a variety of activities. They enjoyed local cuisine, went on boat excursions on Dal Lake, saw well-known tourist attractions, danced to Bollywood music, and, of course, carried out their official duties.
Additionally, a well-known Arab social media influencer by the name of Amjad Taha posted a message on Twitter along with a touching vlog from Kashmir. He tweeted on May 20 that the G20 will be held in Kashmir, not Switzerland or Austria, and that this was India. It is referred to as the "paradise on Earth," a location that has managed to retain its natural beauty and may hold the key to combating climate change. We see peaceful coexistence amongst Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, and Christians in Kashmir, as well as their enjoyment of the region's rich nature and contributions to future world innovation and progress. It is interesting that India, which is currently holding the G20 presidency, has been organising meetings all over the country in different cities, including the G20 TWG meeting in Srinagar. As part of the Jan Bhagidari (people's involvement) project, the Indian government is making an effort to involve more people in the G20 presidency.
The event effectively highlighted the tourism potential of Jammu and Kashmir as well as the unprecedented rise in visitor numbers after Article 370 was repealed in August 2019. Therefore, choosing Srinagar as the location for this meeting was important despite some difficulties, namely the possibility of Pakistan-sponsored terror attacks in the Kashmir valley. In a meeting off-site, the outline for a "national strategy" on film tourism was released.
Additionally, there was a panel discussion on green tourism, digitalization, skills, MSMEs, and destination management as well as an ecotourism side event.
India has been successful in persuading the international community that violence has decreased to its lowest levels in decades after Article 370 was repealed in August 2019 despite several obstacles.
Pakistan has often failed in its attempts to use propaganda to foster agreement among Islamic nations on the Kashmir problem. Foreign investors have expressed interest in funding significant projects as the security stability in Kashmir has improved. Emaar Group, based in the United Arab Emirates, stated in April that it would invest USD 60 million in Srinagar to build a commercial complex. In the first ten months of the fiscal year 2022–23 (April–March), J&K reportedly received a record-breaking investment of USD 181 million, as per official statistics.
The G20 summit's success and the region's increasing economic indicators all point to a bright future for the area.
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