SOLVING KASHMIR-8

STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE

Northern Regions and Ladakh

1.         In the Northern area the main Karakoram Range creates a watershed between the Tarim Basin in Xingjiang autonomous region of China and the Indus River system flowing through Ladakh, on to Pakistan and hence to the Arabian Sea. In the West this range bifurcates to join the Pamirs in Tazikhistan and the Hindukush in Afghanistan.  In the East beyond the famous Karakoram Pass the range dissipates itself into the high plateau of Western Tibet, South of Kunlun Range. The Northern frontiers of undivided Indian ran along the high Karakoram and associated ranges, There are two major routes of ingress across the Karakoram Range into Ladakh. In the East the so-called Ladakh route encompasses the Karakoram and associate passes.  These routes provide ingress into Ladakh from Hotan (Khotan), Sache (Yarkand) and Kasha (Kashghar).  

2.         East of the Karakoram Pass, the boundary is disputed and the area is presently under Chinese occupation.  The Aksai Chin road built by the Chinese, enters this area from Tibet and traverses Soda Plains and Haji Langar before entering Xingjiang.  The Western or the Gilgit route is now under Pakistani occupation. This approach provides a route between Gilgit, Hunza and Kasha (Kashghar), over Mintaka, Khunjerab and Shimshal passes.  The famous Karakoram highway follows this route from Kasha to Gilgit. It is a major artery of communication from Kasha, going through the Indus valley to Karachi.  There is a little doubt the completion of the Karakoram highway in 1978 marked a fundamental alteration of the strategic status of the North-Western frontiers of J&K. This route alongwith the Aksai Chin route provides major avenues of ingress to Chinese forces, into Ladakh region. Both the above routes, before the construction of the Karakoram highway, converged at Srinagar. The Ladakh route entered the Kashmir valley through the Zoji La Pass. From the military point of view both these routes are of vital importance. The political and strategic importance of Gilgit and Skardu in the west, and the Karakoram Pass and Aksai Chin in the east as observation centres to watch Central Asia, Xingjiang and Tibet would be obvious even to a layman. However India has already lost the western areas to Pakistan and in the east, Aksai Chin to China. India presently has only a tenuous hold on the Shyok and Nubra valleys in Turtuk & Siachen in the

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area of the Karakoram Pass. Indian Army faces two fronts here, one against the Chinese, the other against Pakistan, which includes a precarious perch over Siachen Glacier. Thus between 1947 and 1962 India stood marginalized in this strategically and politically important region. India,perforce has to, therefore, hold and safeguard Shyok, Leh and Srinagar valleys resolutely.  The occupation of North Western areas of Ladakh by Pakistan has precluded a direct overland route between Afghanistan,Central Asia and India. This is a major strategic setback from the Indian point of view; the country cannot afford any further such setbacks.

Valley/Kashmir Division 

3.         The main surface route to Ladakh through Srinagar via the Zojila Pass, remains snowbound for about six months in the year.  The only other route via Manali-Rohtang Pass is under continuous development & repair, long, rough and desolate.  This route traverses several very high passes which remain open for traffic hardly for four to five months in a year.  A convoy takes four to five days to reach Leh via this route from the logistic bases, as compared to two days journey from Srinagar to Leh. In other words,    apart from the valley, including Srinagar, it is important to keep the life lines to Leh and Siachen open. The Pir Panjal and the Siachen ranges are important from our point of view and can not be allowed to be compromised.  The Baramulla gorge, through which the Jhelum flows from the valley, is the only natural opening into or out of the valley.  These lend importance to areas between Baramulla and Uri.  The old Srinagar-Rawalpindi road also follows this route.

Jammu Region

4.         Even a cursory look at the map would indicate the vital importance of the areas of Jammu and Kathua and their strategic linkage with the areas of Pathankot and Gurdaspur.  Similarly Kishtwar, Doda and Bhaderwah influence and provide ingress into Himachal Pradesh.  In the obverse lies the importance of the Kotli-Mirpur belt in POK, as an area that puts pressure on Pakistan’s capital region.

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