G-20 foreign ministers meet in Bali, Jaishankar to defend G-20 meet in J&K

As per sources, it is expected that if in case the issue is raised during the G20 foreign ministers' meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is likely to defend India's plan because J&K is a sovereign part of India.

New Delhi: Amid China opposing India's plan to host the G20 summit in J&K when it takes over the chair from Indonesia at the end of this year, EAM Jaishankar is all set to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting in Bali on the 7th and 8th July. The G20 foreign ministers' meeting is taking place just before the main summit, which is slated to be held in mid-November this year in Bali.

The FM's meeting is taking place in the backdrop of the Russian-Ukraine conflict with the West not keen on the presence of Russian President Putin at the summit. But Indonesia as the chair has decided to invite all the countries of the grouping including the Russian President. The meeting will be dominated by Ukraine as leaders from the G20 countries meet under one platform to discuss various global and regional issues.

Along with India's EAM Jaishankar, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be present at the foreign ministers' level meeting. Indonesia has also invited Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba to the meeting. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will also attend the group of 20 foreign ministers.

Meanwhile, China has already opposed India's plan to hold some G-20 meetings in J&K. “We call on relevant sides to focus on economic recovery and avoid politicizing the relevant issue to make a positive contribution to improving the global economic governance,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry had said.

As per sources, it is expected that if in case the issue is raised during the G20 foreign ministers' meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is likely to defend India's plan because J&K is a sovereign part of India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Schloss Elmau, Germany last month. The leaders discussed India's forthcoming G20 presidency. PM Modi also congratulated President Widodo on Indonesia’s ongoing G-20 presidency. They also exchanged views on global and regional issues of mutual interest.

It is pertinent to note that India is the chair of the grouping for next year and will hold the summit in Delhi. In December, India will be chair of SCO, G20 & UNSC