As schools and shops closed in the main city of Srinagar to protest the visit, Modi opened a railway line elsewhere in the restive Muslim-majority state, promising increased infrastructure and development.
Modi, a hardline Hindu nationalist, inaugurated the line in Katra town, 270 kilometres from Srinagar, that links a popular Hindu shrine in the disputed region with India's vast and neglected railway network.
"Our railway stations can be better than airports. This is possible," Modi said after flagging off the first train on the Udhampur-Katra line.
"Private parties can also participate, they will also benefit," he added.
"It is every Indian's dream to see happiness and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
"My aim is to win the hearts of the people of the state."
The line is part of an ambitious project to connect the Kashmir Valley, where a separatist movement opposed to Indian rule is centred, with the network sometime in 2017.
The trip by Modi, whose party secured a landslide win in polls in May on a pledge to revive the economy, has provoked a sharp reaction from influential separatist groups which called a general strike.
Businesses were mostly closed in Srinagar as a result and the city's streets were largely deserted, while top separatist leaders were put under house arrest in a security crackdown ahead of Modi's arrival.
Separatists rejected Modi's comments on Friday, reiterating demands for a political process to resolve the dispute over Kashmir.
"Development is fine but our primary aspiration is security, right to life and fundamental political rights which will come when the Kashmir dispute is resolved," chief cleric and a top separatist leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, told AFP from his house where he is confined in Srinagar.
He criticised Modi's decision to visit Indian Kashmir on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramazan which meant he was barred from leading prayers in the city's main mosque as part of the crackdown.
Separatist leader Yasin Malik also rejected Modi's comments on development, saying it would never take priority "over our demand for freedom and self government".
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, which both claim the region in full but administer separate partial areas. The neighbours have fought two of their three wars over its control.
Since 1989, an armed rebellion against Indian rule by about a dozen rebel groups seeking independence for Indian Kashmir or a merger of the territory with Pakistan has left tens of thousands dead.
The dispute with Pakistan and the insurgency has made Indian Kashmir one of the most heavily militarised zones in the world where many chafe under tight security restrictions and complain of human rights abuses.
Ahead of the visit, Modi sparked anger in the region over his apparent plans to curb the region's autonomy.
During election campaigning, Modi had argued for "a discussion" about Article 370 of the Indian constitution, which specifies that laws passed by the national parliament are not applied to Kashmir unless approved by the local legislature.
In May, soon after Modi took office, junior minister Jitendra Singh said that the federal government had "begun the process" of abrogating the constitutional provision that gives India's only Muslim-majority state its special status.
On Friday, Modi also met troops and held a security meeting at army headquarters in Srinagar where hundreds of police and paramilitary were seen patrolling the streets.
Restrictions for the visit were also imposed on civilians' movements in parts of the city's volatile old town, a top police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Modi was expected to travel to the town of Uri close to the disputed border with Pakistan to inaugurate a hydro-power project.
COMMENTS (24)
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@observer: it is very difficult to argue with a person who knows nothing but the percentage of outsides is extremely low. Except for a few shopkeepers, traders and transporters the rest are ethnic Kashmiris so stop lying. @someone: What is your guarantee taht India will not just take over the entre region? During the 1948-1950 period India gained some important territories while we were engaged in Talks. It will be like inviting the cat to guard the milk. @Hafiz: He is in IOK and by the way it is Azad Kashmir not POK. @Gp65: you are more concerned with Pakistan then Pakistani them selves why can't you mind your own business? @Sam@ABE: What is the matter with you? mind your own business. @Sunil: really do you have a copyright on the land? @Dr Priyanka: Our blood boils when obscure references and religious sites are given more importance then living, breathing people. I wonder what kind of Doctor you must be? @Indian: if muslims are Arabs then you Hindus are Aryans please return to Central Asia Et allow this comment if you believe in freedom of speech.
@Last Word: Kashmir is a hindu land. How can some infiltrators who were brought in by the Abdullahs claim it. Anyways lies wont get you anyware. You will not ever get Kashmir. What about the stolen land of Aksai chin? why did you hand it over to China. Udhar daal nahi gali kyaa? Dar gaye shaayed. Whenever any Pakistani talks about Kashmir and the holy word Srinagar, which aint a Pakistani word at all, we become furious.
I am an Indian Kashmiri and would like to highlight that do not fall for these kind of wrong reporting's about us ..We want to stay with India rather than bankrupt and terrorist country which is Pak .and no such thing happened here where shops were closed and streets were deserted ..yeah there r a few Pak sponsored organizations such as hurriyat hope we will soon be eradicated of these poisonus organizations and pls . stop spreading terrorism in our country ..its enough whole world knows about Pak sponsored terrorism. We are Indian and get it pls..its enough..
What do Pakistanis think is better for Kashmiri Muslims - A new railway line or tough love (Zarb-e-asb style) ?
@Fahim: yes because they were occupying ancient hindu holy land called Bharat. So they had to go! Just like America today is occupying muslim lands of arabia and you wish them to go.. Kashmir is a holy hindu land set up by hindu rishi Kashyap and many popular Hindu shrines exist there. Occupiers will leave, Hindus have eternal natural right on Kashmir.
If I remember correctly British empire provided better state of the art facility of railways, but they still had to go!
<< He criticised Modi’s decision to visit Indian Kashmir on the first Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramazan>>
He selected Friday not because of some muslim connection, he selected Friday because friday is a sacred day for AMBA (Goddess) worship in Hinduism. He was there to inagurate railway link to Vaishno devi shrine which is one of the top three most visited hindu shrines of the world.
Majority of Kashmiri Muslims on both sides want an autonomous state which may not be acceptable to either India or Pakistan. What they do not foresee is that grant of autonomy would result in influx of terrorists and fanatics into the state who will take away their Azadi and progress in no time, turning their dream into frustration and repentance. Both India and Pakistan will not allow such a scenario to happen who should now work for a mutual agreement to divide the state as neither war nor supporting militancy is the desired solution of this six decades old problem.
@junaid:
"First apply UN resolutions in Kashmir then talk about development. "
I am all for it. Ask Pakistan to pull out all its army personnel and non-Kashmiris settled there first as the UN resolutions stipulate returning the demography to what it was in 1947. As soon as this is done Indians will be happy to comply with the rest of the UN resolutions.
@Indian Kashmiris converted to Islam willingly, like most of historical North-Western India. Calling them Arabs just goes to show what Indian's really think of Kashmiris and South Asian Muslims. It's obvious you don't care about the people, just the land. It's the people that make the land. Until Indians realise that, there will always be conflict in Kashmir.
@Author
Modi wants to win minds and hearts of All citizens living in J & K. His first visit to state started with flagging of train to katra, from where Maa Vaishno devi journey starts. This is one of the most sacred places visited by hindus.
So Modi has won hearts of crores of devotees. He has already spelled out his vision and plan for pandits who were kicked out.
Now, it is up to the rest of populace. Those who want to move along with Modi, should come forward. Rest should stick with their so called leaders and supporters across the border, who offer nothing but a fake hope.
Creating a new state on basis of ethnicity is such a 20th century concept now. The world is globalised. The focus should be on improviing quality of life by development and development only.
@Asad Khan: Shops also get shut during the various youm-e-sog etc. in Karachi. I am sure you know how that works.
Dipak@junaid: It's Pakistan that does not want plebiscite. Just read the history of what happened. If Pakistan ever agreed to plebiscite, POK will also belong to India. Pakistan has done nothing for POK, just blabbering. Know your limits.
By the way, the title is wrong. Modi is visiting Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir. The disputed territory is PoK.
Too little, too late
@Bewildered: What is difficult for Pakistanis to understand it that in order to have UN resolution to be implemented, which by the way is not binding, Pakistan has to take entire army out of PoK, take back its tribesmen, restore the geography ( take Aksai chin back) and then Indian government would arrange for Plebiscite by putting minimum army and administrative staff. Now, which of those condition Pakistan is ready to honor? So don't tell what is difficult for Indians to understand. Instead. think why Pakistan delayed the plebiscite for so many years.
"India's Modi pledges to win hearts in first visit to disputed Kashmir"
The only way to win their hearts is by letting them follow their hearts (plebiscite). Why this simple thing is so difficult to understand by Indians.
Why don't we see such a response from pakistanis when china cracks down on muslim rebels of Xinjiang province? World knows what pakistan want is revenge with India not peace and development in Kashmir.
Mission to win heart of PoK!!
wow...and India relents that all the troublemakers are foreigners.
good going "democratic" India.
regards,
Do whatever you want .
I hope all these arabs staying in kashmir will quit kashmir one day.