West Asia Conflict: Govt Must Step In To Safeguard J&K Industries

The Kashmir traders’ urgent appeal for policy intervention to address the economic fallout from the West Asia conflict is a sober assessment of a crisis already unfolding. Five weeks into the conflict, what began as a distant geopolitical shock has penetrated every layer of Jammu and Kashmir’s fragile economy. Exports, horticulture, tourism, MSMEs, and household incomes are all under siege. The government must respond with the same urgency it would to any natural disaster, because this is precisely that. The handicraft sector, the cultural and economic backbone of Kashmir, is bleeding. Consignments stalled, payments deferred, remittances slowed; these are not abstract disruptions. They translate into empty hands and empty stomachs for thousands of artisans who live from order to order. The horticulture sector, Kashmir’s pride, is seeing margins erased by soaring fuel prices. The competitiveness of apples, walnuts, and cherries in national markets is under threat. Tourism, which had barely begun to recover from previous shocks, now faces cancellations and weak forward bookings as airfares become prohibitive and uncertainty reigns. The cumulative impact on MSMEs is particularly alarming. Already operating on thin margins and constrained credit, these enterprises now struggle to meet operational expenses and service existing debt. The liquidity crunch is deepening. Without intervention, widespread financial distress, business closures, and significant job losses are not hypothetical risks but probable outcomes. The government’s response must be immediate, coordinated, and multi-pronged. First, on the financial front, regulatory forbearance from banks, enhanced working capital limits, a moratorium on repayments, and suspension of SARFAESI actions are essential. A transparent One-Time Settlement scheme cannot wait. Second, sector-specific interventions must include freight support for exporters to move stalled consignments, transport subsidies for horticulture to offset fuel costs, and urgent capping or rationalisation of airfares to restore tourist confidence. Third, deferment of statutory dues and relief in power tariffs would provide immediate breathing room. Fourth, pending government payments to MSMEs, contractors, and suppliers must be cleared immediately to inject liquidity. This is not a bailout for inefficiency; it is a shield against an external crisis beyond local control. The enterprises of Jammu and Kashmir have weathered decades of instability, natural calamities, and economic shocks. They deserve a government that stands with them when the storm is not of their making.