New Delhi is advertising the visit as an opportunity for EU parliamentarians to get “a better understanding of the cultural and religious diversity of the region of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.” As bonus, it would offer them “a clear view of the development and governance priorities of the region,” an official statement said.

But, apparently, like all good cynical politicians, the visitors are taking it all with a pinch of salt. They know they will be allowed to see only what the government wants them to see.

“We are going to see the situation in Kashmir, at least what they want to show us", Thierry Mariani of France's far-right National Rally, told AFP.

While the official European reaction has been somewhat muted, behind the diplomatic restraint there’s deep concern.

“It was no coincidence that India decided to revoke the status of Kashmir in August when parliaments around the world were in recess and there was no-one in EU who could react,” said Britain’s Liberal MEP Phil Bennion as pressure mounts for EU to take a harder stand. “It should send a strong signal to India,” said another MEP Shaffaq Muhammed.

The fact is that in inviting the MEPs, the Modi Government has borrowed the oldest trick from the book of authoritarian regimes to appear transparent in the face of criticism of their actions. Old communist regimes used to be particularly good at it.

The trick was to invite a group of friendly “independent” foreign observers with zero knowledge of local conditions or politics to visit a troubled area ostensibly to see things for themselves. In effect, these “fact-finding” missions were anything but that...They were actually closely-monitored and heavily tutored conducted tours designed to present a sanitised picture of a difficult situation on the ground.

Today’s visit will be no different. And for once, nobody is fooled.