Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Unusual Choice Of Hotel Accommodation Raises Eyebrows During G20 Summit In New Delhi
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declined the offer to stay in the specially prepared presidential suite at The Lalit hotel in New Delhi during the G20 summit, a decision that raised concerns among Indian intelligence officials. Instead, he chose to occupy a standard room within the same hotel throughout his stay in India. This move deviated from the customary practice of reserving a luxurious presidential suite for visiting heads of state and delegates, a gesture that the Indian government had extended to all participants.
The responsibility for ensuring the comprehensive security of these presidential suites lay with the Delhi Police and various security agencies, highlighting the significance of the accommodations. Despite this heightened security arrangement, Trudeau's decision to opt for a regular room over the designated presidential suite puzzled many.
It's worth noting that the G20 summit witnessed a substantial influx of international dignitaries, with more than 30 hotels in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) hosting heads of state and delegates. Notable among them, U.S. President Joe Biden chose the ITC Maurya Sheraton, while Chinese President Xi Jinping was hosted at the Taj Palace. In total, 23 hotels in Delhi and an additional nine in the NCR were tasked with accommodating the G20 delegates, underscoring the extensive logistical and security efforts involved in the event.
The security arrangements for the visiting foreign dignitaries were formidable, with central paramilitary forces, NSG commandos, and Delhi Police teams collaborating to ensure their safety. Each security agency's commandos were assigned distinct responsibilities to guarantee the security of the guests. The Ministry of Home Affairs held numerous meetings to meticulously plan and coordinate these security measures, deploying a substantial force of 50 teams of CRPF guards for the protection of G20 delegates.
Furthermore, the CRPF took the initiative to establish a dedicated team comprising 1,000 personnel at the VIP Security Training Centre in Greater Noida, tasked with maintaining the security of foreign guests throughout the duration of the G20 summit. This comprehensive security infrastructure was put in place to address any potential threats and ensure the smooth conduct of the international gathering.