Foreign affairs expert Michael Kugelman believes that a potential US downgrade of its travel advisory for Jammu & Kashmir would be a major victory for India, validating its efforts to project normalcy in the region since the 2019 abrogation of Article 370.
A ‘Major Victory’ for India
Foreign affairs expert and Senior Fellow, South Asia Atlantic Council Michael Kugelman said on Wednesday that the United States potentially downgrading its long-standing travel advisory for Jammu & Kashmir would mark a major victory for India in its efforts to project post-2019 normalcy in the region.
Analysing the diplomatic engagement between Ambassador Gor and Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar, Kugelman also emphasised the historical weight of the diplomatic visit itself.
Unconventional Diplomatic Backdrop
Kugelman pointed out that the visit occurs against an “unconventional” diplomatic backdrop, particularly following the US President Donald Trump’s past commentary on mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor conducted by India to avenge the terror attack in Pahalgam last year. “The visit is significant because this is the first time that we’ve had a US Ambassador travel there since Operation Sindor. There have been previous US Ambassadors that have visited the region, but there has been some time. And I think, particularly in light of the fact that the Trump administration has taken a bit of an unconventional approach to the issue in terms of President Trump repeatedly claiming that he mediated the ceasefire between India and Pakistan last year, and also given President Trump’s comment last year that he would like to help the two sides find a solution to Kashmir. These are things that are very unusual for US policy. So against that backdrop of an unconventional administration, I think it’s notable that we have the US Ambassador traveling to Kashmir against that backdrop,” he stated.
Endorsement of Post-2019 Normalcy
Kugelman pointed out that easing travel restrictions for US citizens would serve as a prominent global endorsement of security improvements in the region, which the US envoy described as an “important part of India.” “If the US were to follow through on that and ease the travel advisory, I think that would be a major victory for the Indian government, which has been looking for governments and countries broadly speaking to view Kashmir as a normalized region, one that is not suffering from the significant levels of violence and security threats that it has previously,” Kugelman stated.
He further noted that such a step directly aligns with New Delhi’s long-term diplomatic goals following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. “The Indian government wants to convey the idea that the moves made in 2019 regarding Article 370 were meant to lead to a series of outcomes that normalize Kashmir. So if the US were to ease the travel advisory, sending a signal to Americans and others that this is a place worth traveling to, that it’s safe and so on, obviously that would be a big deal from the perspective of US policy, but it would also be a policy success for the Indian government,” he added.
While advising caution until official post-visit embassy statements are released, Kugelman emphasised that the initial outcomes of the envoy’s Srinagar trip signal a clear strengthening of India-US bilateral engagement.
US Envoy Commends Security, Signals Review
Earlier in the day, US Ambassador Sergio Gor called Jammu and Kashmir an “important part of India” after meeting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar during the first standalone visit by the US envoy to the Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and the Pakistan-backed terror attack in Pahalgam in 2025.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Gor, commended the security efforts made by the union territory adminstration and Centre to make Jammu and Kashmir more safe, and signalled a potential shift in Washington’s stance by indicating that the US may re-evaluate and “downgrade” its highest-level travel warning for J&K. “This is an important part of India and so I’m here visiting for the first time. It’s an incredibly beautiful place, and so I’m thrilled to be here, thrilled to see this place. We had a very good meeting, and we have some follow-ups that we’ll take back to Washington, back to Delhi. But, a very warm, very cordial, and we look forward to building this relationship forward,” he said.
The US envoy said some “incredible steps” have been taken to keep the Jammu and Kashmir “more safe” and the US will review travel advisory. Notably, at present the US has a Level 4 “do not travel” advisory for its citizens. “The United States puts out travel warnings and every so often we re-evaluate those travel warnings. I cannot make any big announcements here today, but it is something that we are going to look at. New Delhi, the Chief Minister here, the Government here–we believe have made some incredible steps to keeping this area safer and making it more safe,” Gor said. (ANI)
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