Tariff Mirage

The recent decline in US imports — a stunning 20 per cent plunge in a single month — has handed the Trump administration an apparent victory.

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Kashmir last week carried more than the weight of a new railway link — it carried the resolve of a nation that refuses to be broken by terror. Just weeks after the brutal Pahalgam attack that killed 26 Hindu tourists, and days after a tense four-day military skirmish with Pakistan, India has chosen a response rooted in resilience. Not just retaliation — but rebuilding. The inauguration of a long-awaited rail link connecting the Kashmir Valley to the broader Indian railway network is more than an engineering milestone. It is a declaration. Terrorists may plant bombs and sow fear, but India lays tracks, builds bridges, and strengthens unity. Over 28 years in the making, the rail link — featuring the world's highest railway arch — symbolises not only connectivity but continuity. Kashmir's inseparable place in the Indian journey and the importance accorded to its development are in sharp contrast, may we add, to the story in that part of the region which Pakistan has occupied. This is not about symbolism alone. The new rail route, along with newly opened roads, medical infrastructure, and civic projects, is designed to restore confidence in a region that has seen too much blood and uncertainty. The Valley, known for its unmatched beauty and dignified people, deserves more than security concerns. It deserves opportunity, investment, and peace on its own terms.