Political Economy Of The Kashmir Conflict Opportunities For Economic Peacebuilding And For U S Policy

Efforts to develop warmer relations between South Asia¿s two nuclear powers, India and Pakistan, will not succeed unless political violence in Kashmir is reduced. One of the key factors sustaining that violence is the dearth of economic opportunities, which ensures a steady supply of disaffected recruits to terrorists and militant groups. This report sketches the turbulent history of Kashmir from its division in 1947 through the revolt of 1989-90 to 2003, and then explores the economic dimensions of the conflict and the opportunities for peacebuilding. The governments of India and Pakistan, together with political leaders in Kashmir, must take the lead in promoting economic dev¿t., but they require the assistance of internat. financial institutions and of the U.S.

The book presents a comprehensive treatment of unemployment and economic problems in Jammu & Kashmir. Kashmir, being a conflict-ridden zone, has far less opportunities for employment than rest of the other states. With an underdeveloped industrial sector and the inability of government to create enough jobs, there seems to be no immediate solution. Lack of avenues to engage the youth in meaningful ways result in making miscreants out of many of them. Young populations across the world are generally seen as drivers of socio-economic growth, but in Kashmir, the youth bulge is a problem. Unemployed youths destabilize the economy by being used to create mayhem by the anti-social elements in the region. Underdevelopment and unemployment in Jammu & Kashmir is the manifestation of a mismatch between physical and human resources. This exists when a large segment of the working age population does not possess the appropriate skills and knowledge to be gainfully employed. In addition, lackadaisical and imprudent policies pursued by subsequent governments are the major challenge. A radical shift in its policies, especially in the education sector, is an absolute prerequisite for the birth of a capable workforce. The remedy lies in revamping the education sector by crafting appropriate policies for suitable skills in line with the socio-economic requirements of the society. The book argues the government must think about a long-term plan for unemployed youth and devise a policy to channel the youth bulge constructively.

In the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks in November 2008, terrorism and counterterrorism in India became the focus of international, regional and national attention. Here, Prem Mahadevan, by using three case studies of Sikh separatist, Kashmiri separatist and pan-Islamist groups, focuses on the efforts of India's decision-makers and intelligence agencies to create coherent and effective counterterrorism policies and actions. Questioning why Sikh separatist groups have been effectively contained, and yet pan-Islamists have not, Mahadevan draws the conclusion that, due to a gap between the expectations of decision-makers and the capabilities of strategic intelligence agencies, India's ability to prevent terrorist attacks has been undermined. In addition, the role played by Pakistan's intelligence agencies in the border regions is given extensive analytical treatment. Combining a theoretical approach with empirical analysis of India's counterterrorist activities, this book holds valuable information for those examining strategy-making and counterterrorism - practitioners as well as researchers - in addition to those interested in the politics of India.

This book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the complex conflict situation in Kashmir. Through an internal perspective, it charts the shift in the Kashmiri response towards the Centre and offers a detailed examination of the background in which separatist politics took roots in Kashmir, and the way it changed its nature in the militancy and post-militancy period. The volume shows how separatism and armed militancy, as manifest in the Valley in the late 1980s, (though augmented by external factors) have been internal responses to the changing nature of Kashmiri identity politics. It explores how the ideas central to Indian nationalist politics — especially democracy and secularism — echoed in Kashmir and were instrumental in dismantling the feudal structure and negotiating an autonomous space within the framework of asymmetrical federalism. Seamlessly blending facts and incisive analyses, this book raises new questions about the nature of conflict and contestation in the region. It will be of great interest to researchers and scholars of Indian politics, especially on Jammu and Kashmir, and sociology, as well as government bodies, think tanks and the interested general reader.