Constructing Threats: The Securitization of Kashmir's Right to Self-Determination

Abstract

Since gaining independence, India has employed various tactics to suppress the Kashmiri struggle for self-determination and freedom. This study critically examines India's strategies and policies aimed at undermining the indigenous movement, using the lens of securitization theory. It explores how India, through securitizing actors, has constructed the threat perception of terrorism, extremism, and national security concerns as justifications for imposing severe and often inhumane measures in the contested region. The research contends that India has strategically securitized the legitimate demand for Kashmir’s right to self-determination, enabling the implementation of draconian laws and the unprecedented militarization of the territory. These actions have led to widespread political repression and human rights violations. The study further argues that India's vision of ‘Akhand Bharat’, rooted in the ultra-nationalist Hindutva ideology, is intertwined with its pursuit of strategic autonomy. The securitization of the Kashmir conflict has bolstered India’s regional influence, but it has also had serious implications for regional security and peace. This interpretive study, following a post-positivist framework, deconstructs the security narratives by analyzing the discursive construction and securitization of the Kashmir conflict.