Srinagar, Aug. 24 -- Kashmir's startup story has reached a point where ambition alone is no longer enough. Young founders have ideas, technical skills and access to tools that can take a business well beyond the valley.

The bigger question is whether Kashmir can build companies that sell to the world while remaining rooted here.

A recent coffee cup discussion in Srinagar brought that question back into focus. The conversation centred on a simple idea: Kashmir founders should look beyond local customers and start thinking about global markets.

That direction makes sense, especially for a place where the local market remains limited and many young people already work with technology, design, software and digital services.

A global marke...