Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday shrugged off Pakistan and China’s objections over G20 events being held in Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. PM Modi said that it is natural for India to hold G20 meetings in every part of the country. The Modi government has organised G20 events across the length and breadth of the country to showcase India’s cultural and regional diversity.

China and Pakistan objected to India’s decision to hold one of the events in Kashmir, which they claim is a “disputed” area. While China is a G20 member, Pakistan is not a member of the multinational grouping. China also disputes India’s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh.

“Such a question would be valid if we had refrained from conducting meetings in those venues. Ours is such a vast, beautiful and diverse nation. When G20 meetings are happening, isn’t it natural that meetings will be held in every part of our country,” Modi said in an inclusive interview to PTI late last week.

PM Modi added that over 220 meetings would have taken place across 60 cities in 28 states and union territories by the end of India’s G20 presidency term ends. He added that over 1 lakh participants from around 125 nationalities would witness the skills of Indians.

Moreover, India’s G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant told Business Today Editor Sourav Majumdar at the BT India @ 100 Summit that Prime Minister Modi decided to hold G20 events across the length and breadth of the country.

“Normally, when G20 presidency is held, it is held in one or two cities, in any country, it has never been made into a people’s presidency. So the Prime Minister who was really the leader of G20 during India’s presidency decided that we will host the G20 in every state of India,” Kant said. He added that they used this as an opportunity to improve cities where G20 events are being held in terms of infrastructure including draining, sewage, and solid waste.

The third G20 working group meeting on tourism was held for three days from May 22 in Srinagar. Delegates of all G20 countries barring China had attended the meeting. In March this year, a large number of delegates also visited Arunachal Pradesh for a G20 event.

At the time India dismissed Chinese claims and said that it is free to hold meetings on its own territory. The G20 Summit will be held from September 9-10 at the Bharat Mandapam in Delhi’s Pragati Maidan. The event will be attended by the likes of US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, and others