Srinagar, June 30 -- Kashmir already possesses the ingredients to become India's first mountain innovation hub.

The question is whether the government will build an ecosystem that converts scientific research and youthful ambition into companies capable of solving problems far beyond the Himalayas.

Kashmir's economy still leans heavily on tourism, horticulture and handicrafts. Those sectors remain valuable, though they also face mounting pressure from climate shifts, changing consumer demand and seasonal disruptions.

Economic diversification has therefore become a practical necessity rather than a development watchword.

Public employment alone cannot absorb a growing pool of educated young people, while migration continues to drain ta...