The recent downturn in India–US diplomatic and trade relations has created an opening to revive lobbying efforts for Kashmir in Washington, DC.
The outcome of the India–Pakistan war in May 2025 further intensified global attention on the issue, reminding the international community that the unresolved Kashmir dispute continues to pose a serious threat to regional and global peace. It can flare up at any moment and bring South Asia’s nuclear-armed rivals to the brink of another war.
India’s hostile reaction to President Trump’s stance on the rejection of his efforts to broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, coupled with the surge of nationalist fervour within India, suggests that relations between Washington and New Delhi are unlikely to warm anytime soon. Meanwhile, Pakistan has recalibrated its diplomacy and successfully regained space in Washington’s power corridors. This renewed goodwill offers a valuable opportunity to place Occupied Kashmir back on the American foreign policy radar.
President Donald Trump recently offered to mediate between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, stating publicly that he is willing to “work with both” countries to find a solution to the decades-old conflict. The US State Department echoed Trump’s willingness to play a mediating role. While these statements highlight his broader desire to resolve the long-standing international dispute, they fall short of committing to concrete steps.
This presents a window of opportunity to engage the US administration, Congress and other institutions in reviving the largely dormant conversation on Kashmir. No major conference or policy dialogue has been organised in Washington in recent years, nor has any serious campaigning group been hired to build a credible narrative or open doors for meaningful engagement with American policymakers. What is urgently required is a systematic campaign – arranging meetings with members of Congress, collaborating with policy institutes and pushing for Congressional and Senate hearings – to ensure that the Kashmir issue is no longer ignored.
Raising visibility and keeping Kashmir in the public and political discourse in the US may help shape media narratives and influence Congressional opinion. European policymakers and media often follow the lead set by Washington, which means that if interest in Kashmir is revived in the US, it could have a trickle-down effect on European politics and on the various UN forums as well.
The Kashmiri diaspora, in collaboration with the influential Pakistani community, has a critical role to play in this effort. Beyond protests and symbolic activities, they must present themselves as proactive problem-solvers aligned with global values of innovation, democracy and civil liberties. By framing Kashmir not simply as a humanitarian tragedy but also as an unresolved conflict that fuels extremism, endangers nuclear stability and hinders regional trade, the diaspora can build a narrative that resonates with US strategic interests.
A carefully framed resolution on Kashmir could be presented as serving US national interests: reducing India–Pakistan tensions, lowering the risk of nuclear escalation and opening trade routes that could strengthen South Asia’s connectivity with global markets.
At the same time, the plight of Kashmiri political leaders demands urgent humanitarian attention. Prominent leaders such as Yasin Malik, Shabbir Ahmad Shah and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Dr Abdul Hamid Fayaz remain behind bars, their health deteriorating rapidly. Khurram Parvez, an internationally respected human rights defender, also continues to languish in prison despite worsening health conditions. Mian Abdul Qayoom, an 80-year-old former president of the J&K Bar Association, has been jailed in a fabricated case merely to suppress his dissenting views. Several media outlets have reported that nearly 4,000 Kashmiris, including activists, students and journalists, are being held in various Indian jails under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
These are not criminals but political prisoners. Securing their release should be a central demand of international advocacy. It is time to revive advocacy for Kashmir in Washington. With shifting geopolitical winds and renewed global concern after the 2025 war, Kashmir’s advocates must seize this moment to ensure that the issue is placed firmly back on the international agenda.
The writer is a freelance contributor. He tweets @ErshadMahmud and can be reached at: ershad.mahmud@gmail.com
