The G20 meetings, which are set to begin in India in February, offer an interesting glimpse into how the everyday lives of people in Kashmir have changed since the Indian government abrogated its special status in August 2019.
The series of economic and financial meetings, which are attended by representatives of 19 countries and the European Union, were previously held in Srinagar, the largest city in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Now, due to the restrictions in the Kashmir Valley, the G20 meetings will take place in the Jammu region for the first time.
Along with the displacement of the G20 summit, local Kashmiris in the valley have had their freedoms curtailed, including their movement rights. Communications have been cut off, with residents facing restrictions in their access to the internet and the use of mobile phones.
The G20 gatherings come from a place of immense political tension in the wake of the August 5th abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which had given special status to the Jammu and Kashmir region and its citizens.
The G20, therefore, offer a unique opportunity to witness the changes in a region that has, for close to seven months now, been denied freedoms that