Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)

 Jammu and Kashmir abbr. J&K is a region administered by India as a union territory and consists of the southern portion of the larger Kashmir region, which has been the subject of a dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947 and between India and China since 1959.

The Line of Control separates Jammu and Kashmir from the Pakistani-administered territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan in the west and north respectively. It lies to the north of the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab and to the west of Ladakh which is administered by India as a union territory. Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir has persisted in protest over autonomy and rights. In 2019, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed, re-constituting the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories: Ladakh in the east and the residuary Jammu and Kashmir in the west.

Srinagar and Jammu jointly serve as the capital of the region, which is divided into two divisions and 20 districts. The area holds substantial mineral deposits, including sapphire, borax, and graphite. Agriculture and services drive the economy, with major contributors being horticulture, handicrafts, and tourism. Apple cultivation is one of the largest industries, employing 3.5 million people and producing 10% of the gross state domestic product. Despite these activities, over 10% of the population are under the national poverty line.

Terminology

Jammu and Kashmir is named after the two regions it encompasses – the Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley. As per Government of India, Kashmir region encompasses the region under Indian control and the territory under Pakistan control known as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir POK. While Pakistan considers the Indian controlled territory as a part of Indian-occupied Kashmir IOK or Indian-held Kashmir IHK, neutral sources use Indian-administered Kashmir/Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Indian-controlled Kashmir/Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to demarcate the areas.

History

For the 1954–2019 history, see Jammu and Kashmir state.

For the pre-1954 history, see Kashmir § History.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir was accorded special status by Article 370 of the Constitution of India. In contrast to other states of India, Jammu and Kashmir had its own constitution, flag, and administrative autonomy. Indian citizens from other states were not allowed to purchase land or property in Jammu and Kashmir under Article 35A of the Constitution of India.

Jammu and Kashmir had three distinct areas: Hindu-majority Jammu region, Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley, and Buddhist-dominated Ladakh.Unrest and violence persisted in the Kashmiri Valley and, following a disputed state election in 1987, an insurgency persisted in protest over autonomy and rights.

The Bharatiya Janata Party BJP came to power in the 2014 Indian general election and five years later included in their 2019 election manifesto the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India, to bring Jammu and Kashmir to equal status with other states.