By: Aamir Hameed Wani
As I write this, we are in a moment of deep global unease. The unfolding conflict involving Iran is not just another distant geopolitical event to be debated on television screens or amplified through social media outrage. It is already sending shockwaves through the global economy, and those tremors will not spare us in India, nor in Jammu & Kashmir. As someone researching state economic policy, jobs and economic stability, I feel compelled to speak plainly: this is not a time for emotional excess or political opportunism in J&K. It is a time for sobriety, restraint and responsibility.
The ongoing conflict in oil-rich Middle East is having clear cascading effects. Rising oil prices are a direct tax on every household. We are seeing increase in transportation costs, inflated food prices, strained public finances due to the need for greater subsidy cushion, and job uncertainty. If the ongoing conflict in the Middle East would linger on, for a country like India, heavily dependent on energy imports, the consequences can be severe. We get about 70% of all of our foreign remittances from the Middle East. Those remittances are jobs, business built through decades and years and hard earned investments. If the war aggravates, we could even see industries slow down, hiring freezes begin and, in many cases, jobs being lost. The most vulnerable, daily wage earners, small traders, young job seekers, could bear the brunt of those disruptions.
It is precisely here that my concern about the current discourse in Jammu & Kashmir arises. I have watched, with growing unease, sections of political leadership and segments of social media descend into hyper-emotional narratives around the Iran conflict to garner sympathy and political capital. Sometimes, the language is charged, the tone is provocative and the intent— at least in some cases — appears more aligned with short-term political gain than with long-term public interest.
Unimaginable a few months back, we are already witnessing pay cuts and job notices in the Gulf region for many Indian professionals, like woth people from other nationalities.
The consequences do not stop there. Inflation erodes people’s savings. Investments in stocks and other financial instruments lose value as markets react nervously to global uncertainty. That is already happening. Families that had just begun to find economic footing after the Covid pandemic disruption may once again find themselves pushed back into insecurity. Even sectors like agriculture, often seen as a stabilizing force, are not immune. Fertilizer supply chains, many of which are globally linked, could face disruptions, increasing costs for farmers and threatening yields.
In such a fragile environment, governance becomes both more difficult and more crucial. The Government of India faces a delicate balancing act — containing inflation, ensuring supply chains remain functional, protecting jobs where possible and maintaining macroeconomic stability. These are not easy tasks in the best of times; in a global crisis, they require collective discipline and national cohesion.
Let me be clear: passion without responsibility is dangerous. When leaders and influencers amplify emotions in a time of global instability, they risk creating internal turbulence that we can ill afford. Economic systems thrive on predictability and confidence. Investor sentiment, business continuity, and consumer behavior are all influenced by the perception of stability. If we allow ourselves to be driven by emotional rhetoric, we inadvertently undermine the very economic foundations that sustain us.
Jammu & Kashmir’s economic future is not isolated; it is deeply intertwined with the broader trajectory of the Indian economy. Our tourism sector, our small businesses, our youth employment prospects — all depend on a stable and growing national economy. Any disruption at the national level reverberates here with amplified impact. To ignore this interconnectedness is to ignore reality.
This is why I urge political leaders, civil society actors and social media voices in Jammu & Kashmir to exercise restraint. Criticism is a vital part of democracy, but it must be informed, measured and constructive. This is not the moment to inflame passions or to exploit global crises for local political mileage. Such actions are not just irresponsible; they are self-defeating.
Instead, this is the time to strengthen the collective national effort to navigate a difficult period. Support policies that stabilize markets. Encourage public awareness about responsible economic behavior. Foster a sense of unity rather than division. Above all, recognize that the challenges before us are larger than any one ideology or political agenda.
History has shown that societies that respond to crises with calm and cohesion emerge stronger. Those that succumb to internal discord pay a heavy price. We stand at such a crossroads today.
For the sake of our country, its economy, its social cohesion, our youth and our shared future, J&K must choose wisely and support the national efforts for stability and wellbeing for all.
