Nirmala Sitharaman’s elevation as first full-time woman Defence Minister is significant for Jammu and Kashmir, where the Indian Army is entrenched on the land and minds of the people, especially since 1990 – the calendar year of the eruption of militancy in the Kashmir valley. Jammu and Kashmir borders two historically hostile neighbours Pakistan and China. The challenges of guarding the frontiers here from the plains to Siachen Glacier, the highest battlefield at a height of 21,000 feet, are numerous. China needles on the eastern borders in Ladakh, while Pakistan…
Read MoreKashmir a testing ground for new Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
