| Summary/Abstract |
T
he revocation of Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution has
far-reaching implications for Kashmir’s future and India’s external
relations. The claim that Kashmir affairs are internal matters is
valid - these areas were recognized as a part of the Indian Union in
the Constitution - but still, there are external repercussions to be
considered. The negative diplomatic reactions by China and Pakistan
reveal sensitivity to the changed geopolitical situation in the frontier
zones of India, China and Pakistan. The revoked Articles had created
special privileges for the Kashmiri leadership and their secessionist
constituents and yet most Kashmiris remained poor despite central
aid for 70 years. The assertion that Kashmir was a disputed territory
gave Pakistan a platform to intervene in Kashmir affairs. The new
administration in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh faces challenges to
use their knowledge and administrative skills to normalize the ground
situation and create opportunities for the Kashmir youth to become
stakeholders in a new Kashmir, and for mainstream people in the new
Union Territories to receive the benefits of development. With these
challenges come opportunities to change the political, economic and
strategic alignments in this vital geopolitical northern area of India
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