Bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir: exploring contradictory positions in the Union Territory of Ladakh

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.