G20 event in Kashmir kicks off amidst tight security; Delegates given rousing welcome | Takeaways

Speaking at the event, Union Minister of State in the PMO, Jitendra Singh, said Kashmir has undergone a change and there are no takers for strike calls anymore. Markets across Kashmir, including in the city centre here, were open throughout the day and there were no restrictions on the movement of people or transport except for traffic diversions on Boulevard Road.

Kashmir, where tourism is a major industry, is embarking on an exciting journey with the G20 event in the Valley and it will send a strong message against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, Union ministers who have been camping here to oversee the event said.

Stringent security arrangements have been made to ensure that the event concludes incident-free. The elite National Security Guard and Marine commandoes were helping police and paramilitary forces to secure the venues including the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), while the Boulevard Road around it has been made a no-go zone for three days. 

There was a massive deployment of security forces on the route taken by the delegates and the Airport Road to Dalgate stretch. 

Kant downplayed the absence of Chinese delegates, saying travel and tourism is a private sector activity and trade delegations from several countries had participated. Officials said it is not that all invitees attend every meeting and some have skipped those held in other parts of the country also. Asked about the negative travel advisories of many foreign countries on Jammu and Kashmir, India's G20 Sherpa said the "officials from G7 countries were participating and they would not have come here if there were any such advisory”.

Delegates of all G20 countries, barring China, arrived in Srinagar on Monday for the third working group meeting on tourism - a much-anticipated event for which authorities have made extensive security arrangements and spruced up the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The delegates were given a traditional Indian welcome at the Srinagar airport with performances by local artistes, and the three-day meet kicked off with a side event on 'Film Tourism for Economic Growth and Cultural Preservation'. “All the G20 countries except China participated. This meeting had an overwhelming response. We had 61 delegates here. All countries except China are present here,” India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant told reporters at a press conference.

"Without private investments, we cannot become a world tourist destination. That’s why we want global and domestic investment. We are also encouraging 100% FDI under the leadership of PM Modi, including in Northeastern states and hill states," Minister of Tourism, G. Kishan Reddy.

There cannot be a better place than Kashmir for shooting movies. We'll (Centre) go out of our way in providing assistance in shooting movies and shoot locations and help to shift film destination from any other part to Kashmir, said G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant.

Delegates arriving in Srinagar for the 3rd G20 Tourism Working Group meeting, receive a warm welcome at the airport.

Foreign dignitaries reach Srinagar to attend meet

The National Security Guard (NSG) and MARCOS commandos have been deployed around the venue while Jammu and Kashmir Police's special operation group (SOG) will be deployed at several places to give security cover to prevent any terror incident.

Srinagar is fully prepared for the G20 meeting, while in view of the protests and threats from China and Pakistan, strict security arrangements have been made at every step. 

Srinagar has been decked up to welcome world leaders for the upcoming G20 summit.