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Apr. 15 – Ladakh is part of the Tibetan plateau and is ethnically and culturally Tibetan. Historically the area was a Buddhist Kingdom that has now been split up into three sections, Ladakh, which is part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Baltistan, now part of Pakistan, and Aksai Chin, now part of Xinjiang in China. The region has veered from being under Chinese, Tibetan and Indian control for centuries.
It was on a main trade supply route to Lhasa, prior to and during the days of the British Raj, however has effectively been cut off from this route following the Sino-Indian border war in 1962 and the closure of the border with Tibet. The Indian government however has made successful attempts to promote it as a seasonal tourist destination, which contributes much to its economy. Many films that require Tibetan style scenery are shot here due to the Indian government’s more relaxed view over the Tibetan culture and permission to film and access the area.
The region has also flirted with Buddhism and Islam, with a sizable Muslim population today as a result of its proximity to Central Asia and the predominantly Muslim beliefs of the neighboring state of Kashmir. Up until 1947 and Partition, it was uncertain whether the local king would decide to join the India Union or Pakistan. The king eventually signed the instrument of accession to India. In 1955, China began constructing roads between Xinjiang and Tibet close to this area, leading to heightened tensions between India, Pakistan and China. With China and Pakistan building the Karakoram Highway in the mid 1950s, India constructed the Srinagar–Leh Highway to reduce travel time to two days (from 18) to the region’s capital and further protect its interests in the region.
India and Pakistan fought border wars here in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999 which threatened at one stage to become a nuclear conflict. And following Pakistan’s claims to the strategic Siachen Glacier region and the granting of permission for foreigners to climb in the region, the Indian and Pakistani armies engaged in a military style race to take possession of the entire glacier. The Indian army was successful and now maintains 3,000 troops along the 76 kilometer glacier in temperatures that can drop to -60. Casualties in serving in this area to maintain the ceasefire with Pakistan have reached over 700 men, mainly due to the extreme conditions.
India views the occupation of the Siachen Glacier, which rises to 5,753 meters, as preventing the Pakistan army 3,000 meters below from linking up with the Chinese army to the north to the Karakoram Highway, and then threatening the region of Ladakh. The Siachen Glacier effectively acts as a natural, militarized buffer between China and Pakistan, with India preventing them from joining forces in a classic a pincer movement, squeezing the area from Indian occupation.
A Pakistan-controlled Ladakh would effectively reunite the old kingdom, with the winter capital being at Skardu (now in Baltistan) and the summer capital being Leh. With the division of the region, Leh residents must now endure harsher winters than would otherwise have historically been the case.
Ladakh is partially subsidized by the Indian government, especially in the provision of rice, yet the region has long been agriculturally self-sufficient. The land is irrigated by a system of channels which funnel water from the ice and snow of the mountains. The principal crops are barley and wheat, while at lower elevations fruit is grown. The higher altitudes are dominated by nomadic herders. Both apricots and pashmina are exported. Currently, the largest commercially sold agricultural product is vegetables, sold in large amounts to the Indian army as well as in the local market, while tourism also brings in considerable income and accounts for 50 percent of the region’s GDP.
Ladakh fast facts:
Population: 300,000
Area: 86,904 sq km
Capital city: Leh
Current GDP: (est) US$300 million
Government website
Further reading:
China / India Border Disputes: Arunachal Pradesh India or South Tibet?
Why China and India Disagree
Tomorrow:
Aksai Chin: China’s Kashmir
April 21st, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Ladakh is a beautiful area, and great for tourists who want to see what Tibet would be like with no Police or harrassment. I strongly recommend it as a vacation, fly to Delhi then up to Srinagar.