India, March 6 -- By Riyaz WaniWhen India and the United States revealed the framework of an interim bilateral trade agreement earlier this month, it was hailed in some quarters as a "landmark step." But in Kashmir's orchards and handicraft clusters, the mood is far from celebratory. For many here, the deal has triggered a deeper anxiety: that in the fine print of global geopolitics, a fragile regional economy could be left dangerously unprotected.

At the heart of the concern lies one commodity that defines Kashmir's rural economy -  the apple.

Kashmir accounts for roughly 78-80 percent of India's annual apple production, estimated at around 25-28 lakh metric tonnes. The sector employs nearly 3.5 million people directly and indirec...