After J&K, India mulls holding G-20 meetings in Ladakh as well

The administration in Ladakh has nominated two senior officers for coordination with the MEA on behalf of the UT administration in view of the scheduled G-20 meetings.

Leh (Ladakh):After Jammu and Kashmir, the central government is also planning to hold G-20 meetings or take some leaders of the G-20 to Ladakh with the development being viewed as a major snub to China which hasalready opposeda similar move in J&K. The Ladakh Union Territory administration, in this regard, has nominated two senior IAS and IPS officers as the UT-level Nodal Officers to coordinate the same.

Referring to a letter from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ladakh administration led by Lieutenant Governor R K Mathua has accorded sanction to the nomination of a senior IAS and an IPS officer as UT-level nodal officers for coordination with the MEA on behalf of the UT administration in view of the scheduled G-20 meetings.

India will assume the presidency of G-20 on December 1 this year. It has already proposed to hold the inaugural G-20 leaders’ summit in 2023 in Jammu and Kashmir for which the J&K UT administration had on June 23 constituted a five-member committee. Sources told ETV Bharat that the government is planning to either hold some of the G20 meetings in the Union Territory or a few leaders of G-20 Summit may visit the region.

"In view of the G-20 meetings and necessary coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, sanction is hereby accorded to the nomination of following Nodal officers on behalf of the UT administration of Ladakh," reads the order issued by Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Commissioner Secretary Ladakh General Administration Department.

The Nodal Officers nominated by the Union Territory administration include Saugat Biswas, Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department-cum-Divisional Commissioner of Ladakh and Sheikh Junaid Mehmood, DIG Leh-Kargil Range. Biswas will be Nodal Officer/Overall Coordinator at the Union Territory level. Biswas, according to the order, will take necessary steps for constituting a Core Coordination Team consisting of officers, officials from the departments of Municipal administration, Police, Tourism and Culture, and Protocol or any other department as deemed necessary.

Sheikh Junaid Mehmood has been nominated as the Nodal Officer for Security Coordination. Mehmood has been asked to take steps for constituting a Security Coordination Team which may include officers from Intelligence, Law and Order, Traffic, FRRO Office ISW and any other department as deemed fit.

“The Security Coordination Team may work under the guidance of the ADGP Ladakh,” the GAD order said. It added that the Nodal Officers shall on behalf of the Administration of UT of Ladakh ensure other logistical arrangements required at every stage of hosting the meetings as requested by the G-20 Secretariat.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs has refused to comment on the development for now: "We are not saying anything on the issues which are not finalised. No scheduling of any kind has taken place," MEA officials said.