Kashmir has a tradition of agriculture, horticulture, craftsmanship, hospitality, creativity and skilled work. Its products, crafts and natural surroundings remain important. Meanwhile, the way the world creates economic value is changing. Research, design, digital services, creative work and specialised skills are becoming more important.
Knowledge can now travel far beyond the place where it is created. A project developed in Kashmir can reach customers in different parts of India and other places. This creates an opportunity to explore how emerging forms of work can add to the region’s existing strengths.
Several leading universities and global organisations are studying this change. Harvard University’s Growth Lab examines how places develop new skills and new forms of economic activity. MIT’s Initiative on the Digital Economy studies how digital technology is changing businesses, markets and work. Stanford University focuses on technology, entrepreneurship and innovation, while the Oxford Internet Institute studies the effects of the internet and digital technology on society and the economy.
International organisations including UN Trade and Development, the World Bank, UNESCO, the OECD and the World Intellectual Property Organization also examine digital economies, innovation, skills, creative industries, research and intellectual property. Their work reflects the growing role of specialised capabilities in economic activity.
India, meanwhile, is strengthening its systems for technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. The IndiaAI Mission is working on areas such as computing power, datasets, AI skills, startups and Indian AI capabilities. The Open Network for Digital Commerce is creating digital systems that can help businesses take part in online commerce.
The Atal Innovation Mission promotes innovation and entrepreneurship through programmes such as Atal Tinkering Labs and incubation centres. India is also developing its semiconductor industry and chip design capabilities. These efforts show how research, enterprise and technology can contribute to new products and services. These developments offer useful lessons on how local talent can connect with emerging fields.
Kashmir also has scope for knowledge-based and creative activities. Digital services, research, design, content creation and specialised skills can support work that is not limited by physical location. Someone working from Kashmir can serve a customer, organisation or audience elsewhere. This wider reach is one feature of the modern economy.
Kashmir’s rich heritage of craftsmanship and creativity can also find new forms of expression. Crafts, design and art can be documented, studied and presented through digital media. Creators can build collections, portfolios and visual content around their work. This can help record creative practices and make them easier to discover.
Horticulture is another area where modern tools can have a useful role in Kashmir. Research, data and digital information can support learning about cultivation, quality, planning and other aspects of horticultural activity. Experience gained through established practices can be combined with newer methods and information. This creates scope for further learning and wider use of available resources.
Tourism can offer similar possibilities for creative work. Kashmir’s natural surroundings, food, crafts, culture and heritage can inspire photography, writing, filmmaking, design and other forms of creative work. Digital media can help creators present these subjects in different formats and make information about regional attractions and cultural offerings easier to access. This can add another dimension to tourism and offer additional ways to present information about places, culture and heritage.
Entrepreneurship offers another avenue for ideas and technology in Kashmir. People can explore areas such as digital services, design, creative work, technology and local knowledge. A project can begin on a small scale and develop into a product, service or business. Learning, guidance and collaboration can support this process. Educational institutions, businesses, innovation centres and individual creators can each contribute to enterprise and experimentation.
An economy built around specialised work also depends on skills and a supportive environment. Good connectivity, workspaces, research facilities, finance, guidance and access to wider markets can all contribute. Universities can support research, businesses can provide practical experience, and innovation centres can offer guidance. Individual creators and entrepreneurs can bring different approaches to various fields. Collectively, these elements can help promising work move from early development towards practical use.
The economy of ideas does not mean moving away from what Kashmir already does well. It means adding possibilities to the existing economic landscape. A designer can draw inspiration from local craftsmanship. A researcher can study subjects connected with local activities.
A digital creator can produce content for audiences in different places. An entrepreneur can develop a service for customers far beyond the region. Existing strengths can therefore provide a foundation for newer forms of enterprise.
This is the promise of the new economy of ideas. Craftsmanship, creativity, knowledge and skilled work can retain their value as new forms of work emerge. Value can come not only from what is made, but also from what is imagined, designed and developed. The next valuable thing may not be something made, but something imagined.
(The Author is a Columnist. Feedback: [email protected])
