Envoys from 15 nations -- including the US -- are in Jammu and Kashmir for a two-day visit to check on the ground situation in the newly created union territory. This is the second time a foreign delegation is visiting Jammu and Kashmir since the Centre scrapped the special status of the state under Article 370 of the constitution and bifurcated it into two union territories.

Besides US, the team comprises envoys from South Korea,Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Guyana, Argentina, Norway, Philippines, Maldives,Togo, Fiji, Peru, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

The European Union was also on the list, but sources said the envoys had declined, saying they did not want a "guided tour".They wished to meet the three detained former Chief Ministers and would visit at a later date, sources said.

Government sources told NDTV that envoys of the European Union have welcomed the idea of a trip to Jammu and Kashmir, but many of them said it was short notice this time and they look forward to going at a later date.

Like last time, this time's itinerary includes visits toSrinagar and Jammu, where the envoys will interact with some of the locals andget briefings from the army. But the envoys would also meet a group ofpoliticians from Jammu and Kashmir, led by former minister Altaf Bukhari overlunch at the Governor's House. Mr Bukhari, who was expelled from MehboobaMufti's People's Democratic Party last year, is one of the handful of political leaders who are not under detention.

The PDP -- party of detained former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti -- said the invitation to foreign diplomats was the government's way of normalising the situation.

"Today that @PMO India lets a 2nd batch of envoys to "see" the situation in #Kashmir,it only seems like an attempt to normalize the Govts own clampdown. The dareison @PMO India will they ever let these Foreign Envoys meet political detainees who are jailed since 160 days now," their tweet read.