Gilgit Baltistan: A Region at the Crossroads of Geopolitics
By Faheem Ullah
Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), tucked away in Pakistan’s northernmost area, is at a pivotal point in geopolitics where regional dynamics and the interests of powerful nations come together. In addition to being crucial to South Asia’s political environment, this gorgeous yet strategically significant area is also crucial to larger global economic and security frameworks.
With its location at the intersection of China, India, and Central Asia, Gilgit-Baltistan is becoming a more central location for regional and global geopolitical changes. The location of Gilgit-Baltistan is a major factor in its strategic importance. The region is located at the intersection of a number of significant geopolitical corridors, including Karakoram Highway, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and trade routes that may one day connect South and Central Asia. This area, which shares borders with China and India, is crucial for achieving both military and economic goals. The area is the northern entry point for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multibillion-dollar infrastructure project that will link Pakistan’s Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea with China’s western Xinjiang province. This overland corridor gives China a more effective and safe way to reach global markets by avoiding the more time-consuming maritime route over the South China Sea. CPEC plans to significantly increase Pakistan’s economy, particularly in its less developed regions like Gilgit-Baltistan. As a result, the region will become an essential link in the global supply chain improving trade flows, energy generation and regional connectivity. Despite Gilgit-Baltistan’s geopolitical importance, its status is still controversial.
Pakistan and India, both fully claim the area, are involved in the broader Kashmir dispute. The princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which was split following the 1947–1948 war between India and Pakistan, included Gilgit-Baltistan after British India was separated in 1947. Although Pakistan took over the northern regions including Gilgit-Baltistan, it has never established a formal system of government and has instead operated it as a distinct area under the larger Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) umbrella.
At the intersection of environmental, economic, and geopolitical pressures is Gilgit-Baltistan. Its significance as a gateway for energy, trade, and security cannot be emphasized enough. But only if region can successfully negotiate the intricate relationships between territorial conflicts, regional collaboration and sustainable development will its potential be fulfilled.
The future of the area will still be shaped by Pakistan and China’s tight collaboration, but complexity will increase with the participation of India and other foreign players. Ensuring local political autonomy, environmental sustainability and economic inclusion will be crucial as the region grows under the CPEC framework. The way these conflicting interests are balanced will determine Gilgit-Baltistan’s place in South Asia, Central Asia, and beyond geopolitical future. For the time being, the area continues to be a crucial, if disputed meeting point for regional, global powers and its outcome will probably continue to affect the region’s larger dynamics for years to come.
The contributor is a PhD scholar at the International Islamic University, Islamabad. Email: fhmiiui@hotmail.com
