Since the abrogation of Article 370 by the Indian government in 2019, which stripped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, the region has witnessed an increasingly volatile security situation.
Despite India's claims of maintaining peace in the disputed territory, the ground reality presents a stark contrast, with escalating military control and rising repression.
India’s actions, far from fostering peace, are intensifying tensions. The Modi government has gradually shifted the region’s control from civilian administration to the Indian military. As a result, the influence and role of the local government have diminished, while the military presence continues to grow.
Recent developments further highlight this shift. Colonel Vikrant Prashar, from India’s elite Para Regiment, was appointed as the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in charge of the Special Operations Group in Jammu and Kashmir. This appointment underlines the increased militarization of the region and the significant role the military now plays in managing local security.
While the Indian government had once claimed that the revocation of Article 370 would bring development and an end to violence, the reality tells a different story. The arming of Indian police with heavy weaponry only exposes the contradiction between the government's claims of peace and the oppressive measures being implemented. Far from a peaceful environment, Kashmir has become one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world, with over a million Indian soldiers stationed there.
India’s assertion that it can alter the disputed status of Kashmir through military presence is misleading. The ongoing crackdown on dissent, coupled with the imposition of stringent laws, points to a deliberate effort to suppress opposition and expand India’s Hindutva agenda through military force.
The international community must recognize that true peace in South Asia can only be achieved when the Kashmir issue is resolved in accordance with United Nations resolutions, granting the people of Jammu and Kashmir their rightful self-determination. India’s military occupation cannot change the region's disputed status or suppress the aspirations of its people.
