WHILE we in Pakistan are hurling blames and threats at each other, India has quietly tightened its grip on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K) and improved its standing along the 3500 km disputed border by silently building a bridge on the rugged Himalayas gorge. This bridge has successfully linked the Kashmir valley to the vast Indian plains by train to achieve three strategic objectives: to further tighten its grip on IIOJ&K, to contain Pakistan and to meet the perceived rising strategic threat from China.
The Chenab Rail Bridge, the highest of its kind globally, is hailed as an engineering marvel pivotal for both peace and wartime, facilitating the movement of army personnel in larger numbers than ever before. This 1,315-meter-long, $24 million steel and concrete bridge, with an arch 359 meters above the Chenab River, completes the vital 272-kilometer railway link from Udhampur, the army’s northern command headquarters, through Srinagar, and terminates in Baramulla near the Line of Control with Pakistan. Costing an estimated $3.9 billion and spanning nearly three decades of construction, this bridge represents the most significant civil engineering challenge for any railway project in India, revolutionizing logistics in Ladakh bordering China and achieving a substantial military advantage.
Previously, the Indian military had to stockpile supplies, military equipment and ammunition transported by road in Ladakh for six months before winter closures. With the bridge, the military now has a year-long sustainable supply line. This project will also lead to new road tunnel projects connecting Kashmir and Ladakh, near India’s frontiers with China and Pakistan. The bridge offers India numerous advantages: enhanced troop mobility and logistical efficiency, strengthened strategic position against China and Pakistan and reinforced territorial control. Economically, it promotes regional development, investment, trade and tourism. Politically, it symbolizes national integration and contributes to political stability by improving living standards. Security-wise, it bolsters border monitoring and counter-insurgency operations, ensuring civilian safety and reinforcing India’s overall security posture.
The Chenab Rail Bridge represents a significant strategic development with far-reaching implications for China-India relations, India-Pakistan dynamics, the Kashmiri struggle for freedom and the broader South Asian region. This infrastructure project enhances India’s logistical and military capabilities in the region, particularly along the contested borders with China. By improving troop and equipment mobility, India strengthens its defensive and offensive positions, signalling its readiness to counter any potential threats from China. This development not only increases India’s military readiness but also supports its broader strategy of counterbalancing China’s influence in South Asia. It would also give much-needed impetus to the strategic interests of both the USA and the West that are supporting India and propping it as a counterbalance power against China. For India-Pakistan relations, the Chenab Rail Bridge exacerbates existing tensions, particularly over the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. The improved infrastructure allows India to bolster its military presence in the area, which, in Pakistan’s view, should be a direct threat to its security and territorial claims. This increased militarization could lead to further conflicts and heightened diplomatic tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Moreover, the international community may pay closer attention to the ongoing conflict in Kashmir, potentially influencing geopolitical dynamics and the involvement of global powers.
The Kashmiri population faces both opportunities and threats from the Chenab Rail Bridge. While improved infrastructure might bring economic benefits, there are significant concerns about demographic changes and the erosion of Kashmiri autonomy. Easier access to the region could lead to an influx of outsiders, potentially marginalizing the local population and undermining their unique cultural and linguistic identity. This development could intensify the resistance among Kashmiris, fuelling their long-standing demand for self-determination and merger with Pakistan. Additionally, the increased militarization facilitated by the bridge might lead to more human rights violations, drawing international condemnation and support for the Kashmiri cause. In the broader context of South Asia, the Chenab Rail Bridge influences regional stability, economic development and strategic alliances. By enhancing India’s strategic posture, the project could destabilize the region by increasing military capabilities and heightening tensions with both Pakistan and China. However, improved infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir could also foster economic growth through increased trade and connectivity within India and potentially with neighbouring countries. This project could serve as a model for similar initiatives in the region, promoting economic development and regional connectivity if managed diplomatically.
To neutralize India’s advantages after completing the Chenab Rail Bridge, Pakistan should adopt a multifaceted strategy. Militarily, Pakistan should enhance its defensive preparedness. Economically, Pakistan must build resilience, develop infrastructure in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, fostering political unity within Pakistan and ensuring good governance and human rights in Pakistan-administered Kashmir will further strengthen Pakistan’s position.
Pakistan should also intensify its international diplomacy to highlight that the construction of the Chenab Rail Bridge in IIOJ&K is a direct violation of the UNSC resolutions. By building such strategic infrastructure, India is unilaterally altering the status quo of the region, thereby undermining the spirit and intent of the UNSC resolutions, which call for maintaining the disputed nature of the territory until a fair and impartial plebiscite is conducted under UN auspices. This not only challenges the legal and international status of Jammu and Kashmir but also raises significant concerns about India’s commitment to resolving the issue peacefully and in accordance with international law.
—The writer is a former Press Secretary to the President.
