Ladakh Short and Simple Summary of Ladakh Ladakh is a union territory of India, located in the eastern part of the larger Kashmir region. It is bordered by Tibet in the east, Himachal Pradesh in the south, Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit‑Baltistan in the west, and Xinjiang (China) in the north. The region stretches from the Siachen Glacier to the Great Himalayas. Aksai Chin, in the east, is claimed by India but controlled by China. Earlier, Ladakh was an important centre on ancient trade routes, but trade declined after China closed the borders in the 1960s. Tourism has grown since 1974, and because of its strategic location, the Indian Army has a strong presence there. Leh and Kargil are the two main towns and district headquarters. Most people live in river valleys like Indus, Shyok, Nubra, Suru, Dras, and Zanskar. The main communities are Muslims (46%), Buddhists (40%), and Hindus (12%). Ladakh became a separate union territory on 31 October 2019. The name “Ladakh” m...