Bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir

Exploring contradictory positions in the Union Territory of Ladakh

Bibliographic Data

ID19224441
AuthorsAkbar Ali (0000-0002-2914-0934, University of Ladakh, corresponding author)
Year2026
Pages1-23
Publication date2026-05-12
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAsian Ethnicity (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1463-1369 • E-ISSN: 1469-2953
PublisherRoutledge (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14631369.2026.2672124
OpenAlexW7160933945
LanguageEN
References cited25

This article challenges the widely held view among state actors and scholars that Ladakhis share a homogeneous stance on the region’s relationship with Jammu and Kashmir and on its reorganisation as a separate Union Territory in 2019. It argues that, far from exhibiting political homogeneity, Ladakhis have advanced diverse and often conflicting positions since 1950, which have shaped the region’s contested quest for autonomy. The study draws on archival resources and on fieldwork conducted by the author between 2021 and 2023, and it shows how these long-standing differences produced divergent reactions to the declaration of Ladakh as a separate Union Territory. The author concludes that these differences continue to shape Ladakh’s political discourse and will influence its future trajectories

Bifurcation · European union · Government (linguistics) · Trade union · Indian and Buddhist Studies · Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East · South Asian Studies and Conflicts

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