Mufti: Turn J&K Into South-Central Asia Gateway
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- Mehbooba Mufti, president of the Peoples Democratic Party, on July 1 suggested that the Indian Centre transform Jammu and Kashmir into a gateway connecting South and Central Asia.
- Mufti proposed using Jammu and Kashmir's geographical location to strengthen ties with both Pakistan and China.
- She framed the region as a 'bridge of peace' between India and Pakistan, recasting a long-standing flashpoint as a potential connector state.
Why it matters: The proposal from a former J&K chief minister invites Delhi to recast its Jammu and Kashmir policy — long managed through a security lens — as a trade-and-connectivity play toward its two biggest neighbors. Adopting the gateway framing would shift the Centre's stated objective from managing conflict with Pakistan to leveraging J&K's geography for regional ties, including with China.
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