Slow Internet Is Speeding the Spread of the Coronavirus in Kashmir

In August 2019, India’s government revoked Kashmir’s special autonomous status and locked down the region, which has a population of around 8 million. The lockdown was followed by the democratic world’s longest internet shutdown, which was partially lifted on Jan. 25 when authorities restored access to 2G internet. But the denial of high-speed internet still prevents people from using banking apps, paying their bills, and accessing services—even forcing some out of their homes. The Indian government will not restore the high-speed internet despite the pressing need for the population to stay informed about the coronavirus pandemic. On April 3, authorities ordered a continuation of the ban “in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India,” after a review of the situation in Kashmir, a territory whose sovereignty has been disputed with Pakistan for decades. Like the rest of India, Kashmir is now under a 21-day government-mandated lockdown to contain the coronavirus. Inadequate internet access has compounded the challenges for health care workers in the isolated region, who face the looming pandemic with a severely deficient health infrastructure. In depriving Kashmir of the internet now, the government is “being inhuman,” Saleem said. “The entire world is united in the fight against this disease, sharing experiences and information online, but we have been isolated thanks to the continued curbs on the internet.”