Foreign diplomats visited India-occupied Kashmir on Thursday for the first time since New Delhi stripped the region of special status in August, but some European nations and others declined to go after being refused permission to travel independently.

Raveesh Kumar, a spokesman for India's foreign ministry, said diplomats of 15 countries, including the United States, were on a two-day trip "to see first-hand the efforts that have been made by the government to normalise the situation".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government wants to blunt international criticism of its moves in Kashmir and claimed the situation was fast returning to normal.

The trip includes meetings with the army, politicians, civil society groups and journalists selected by the security services, two officials familiar with the plans said.

The diplomats will not be given access to Omar Abdullah or Mehbooba Mufti, the leaders of the two political parties that have historically dominated Kashmir.