Reimagining Federal Unity in a Geopolitical Hotspot: India’s Constitutional Integration of Jammu and Kashmir in International Perspective

The abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 marked a watershed moment in India's constitutional evolution. It altered the legal and political contours of the relationship between the Union Government and the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. This paper examines the theoretical and practical challenges of constitutional integration in a federal democracy, with a specific focus on harmonizing regional autonomy with national unity. It proposes a framework for integration that respects the distinctiveness of the region while reinforcing constitutional supremacy, participative federalism, and socio-legal reconciliation. Drawing upon comparative models, jurisprudential reasoning, and public policy instruments, the article suggests a sustainable path for constitutional assimilation that upholds democratic legitimacy, inclusive governance, and constitutional morality.