Ladakh: India’s Gateway to Central Asia

Abstract

Ladakh is one of the largest administrative units in India, in terms of its territory. Due to its contiguity with Xinjiang and Tibet and its close proximity to Central Asia, and enjoying a central position in the network of overland caravan routes that were linked to the Silk Route, Ladakh acted as an important gateway in the Indo-Central Asian exchange of men, materials and ideas through the ages. By declaring the Leh and Kargil districts of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State a Union territory, the Government of India has, rekindled hopes in the region of revival of traditional India-Central Asia trade routes passing through Ladakh and Xinjiang. L adakh has the distinction of being one of the largest administrative units in India, in terms of its territory. In historical, cultural and spiritual terms, Ladakh is unique in respect of the number of Buddhist gompas (monasteries), its distinct history, language and culture. Directly facing two belligerent neighbours-Pakistan and China-Ladakh is India's most strategic region. The high-altitude battleground of Siachen is also situated in Ladakh. After both the Houses of the Indian parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill, 2019 on August 5-6, 2019, the Ladakh division comprising Leh and Kargil districts of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State, became a Union Territory (UT) to be administered by the President of India through a Lieutenant Governor. In doing so the Government of India has met the longstanding demand of the people of Ladakh for a Union Territory to enable them to realize their political aspirations and also to preserve and promote their distinct historical, ethnic, linguistic and eco-cultural heritage and identity. The decision has been celebrated with jubilation by the people of Ladakh, cutting across various sections of society. The Anjuman Moin-ul-Islam, Leh, the Ladakh Buddhist Association, the Gyalrung Drukpa, and other bodies have, in their separate statements, extended wholehearted support and thanks to the union government for granting Union Territory status to the region. To quote a Ladakhi scholar, 'The demand for a separate status of Ladakh has been pending since 1947-older than the demand for Telangana'. 1 This article provides a historical, economic and geo-strategic perspective about the importance of Ladakh, in the context of the new developments taking place at a fast pace across the borders of Ladakh.

India’s security dilemma: engaging big powers while retaining strategic autonomy

“…To offset the China–Pakistan axis and increasing terrorist and insurgency activities in India’s Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the Modi government revoked the special status granted to J&K and bifurcated it into two union territories in August 2019. One of the territories, Ladakh’s map included the Aksai Chin area that is under Chinese control since 1962 war and the Shaksgam Valley that Pakistan ceded to China in 1963 to offset India (Warikoo 2020 , 180–81). China equated this cartographic change akin to losing Aksai Chin that, in turn, ‘would jeopardize the stability of China’s entire western frontier’ (Sun 2020 ).…”