Ladakh, Gilgit-Baltistan: It’s people & trade relations

This study traces Ladakh’s linkages with Gilgit-Baltistan focusing on border trade and culture. Ladakh and Baltistan had long historical, political, cultural, and trade links through various trade routes.These linkages came to an end with the partition of India. After partition when the Line of Control (LoC) was drawn, the traditional trade routes were closed and left families dividedinto both sides of the LoC.The study focuses not only on the nature of the relationship between Ladakh and Baltistan but also on the economic, cultural, and tourism prospects if the traditional trade Kargil-Skardo routes could be reopened. This study is mostly based on the first-person accounts, narratives, and untold stories of the people residing along the LoC in the Ladakh region, of India.The data was collected as a part of a Major Research Project completed with the financial support of the University Grant Commission (UGC).