Ladakh occupies a unique place in India’s strategic imagination. Perched between Pakistan-occupied territories to the west and Chinese-controlled Tibet to the east, it stands as both a symbol of India’s territorial resolve and a test of its democratic sensitivity. The icy peaks and barren valleys that form the nation’s northern frontier have long guarded its borders, today, they also guard a simmering discontent among their people.

Since August 2019, when Article 370 was revoked and Ladakh was carved out as a separate Union Territory, the region has experienced a mix of optimism and unease. The move promised direct attention from New Delhi, a long-sought goal for residents who had felt neglected by the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir administration. Yet six years on, enthusiasm has faded into a

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