Why the World Eyes Kashmir: People, Resources, and the Battle for the Himalayas

The Valley Everyone Wants

Kashmir has been called many things; paradise on earth, the crown of Asia, the land of a thousand lakes. Yet behind these poetic titles lies a darker truth: a valley pulled apart by nations who claim to love it, but rarely for its people.

If the world’s concern was truly about Kashmiris, the United Nations resolution passed in 1948 would have long been honoured. The people would have voted, freely, as promised. But that day never came.

Instead, what unfolded was a prolonged contest, not for hearts, but for land. Not for people, but for power. Over the decades, Kashmir has become the meeting point of empires, the last frontier of the Himalayas, and the silent battlefield of Asia’s greatest powers.

Its lakes reflect the sky, its mountains hold untold riches, and its rivers nourish millions beyond its borders. Kashmir’s tragedy lies in this paradox, blessed beyond measure, yet burdened by its blessings.

The Geography of Kashmir – Heart of the Himalayas

To understand Kashmir’s importance, one must first understand its geography. The region sits at the very roof of the world — the northernmost reaches of South Asia, where the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush ranges collide.

It borders India, Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan, connecting Central Asia to the subcontinent.

Kashmir is not a single valley, but a vast and diverse region of mountains, rivers, and plateaus divided between three nuclear powers. It covers approximately 222,000 square kilometres, split as follows:

Through its snow-clad peaks run some of Asia’s most important rivers, the Jhelum, Chenab, Indus, and Neelum, which later flow into Pakistan and sustain tens of millions. Whoever controls these waters controls life downstream. This hydrological reality alone makes Kashmir strategically priceless.

But there’s more. Beneath its valleys lie reserves of sapphire, lithium, uranium, and gold. Its forests and meadows feed countless species, and its glaciers are among the largest sources of fresh water outside the polar regions.

Kashmir, quite literally, is the heart of the Himalayas, and the heart is what everyone wants to possess.

China’s Stake in Kashmir – The Silent Stakeholder

Often overlooked in mainstream narratives, China is the third giant in the Kashmir conflict. It occupies Aksai Chin, a cold desert plateau of immense strategic value, and also controls the Shaksgam Valley, ceded to it by Pakistan in 1963 under a border agreement.

For China, Kashmir’s significance is not emotional, it’s infrastructural. The Aksai Chin corridor provides a vital land link between Xinjiang and Tibet, two of China’s most sensitive provinces. The highway that crosses this region allows China to move troops and supplies across the Himalayas in record time.

Then there’s CPEC — the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. Much of it passes through Gilgit-Baltistan, an area claimed by India but administered by Pakistan. Through this corridor, China gains access to the Arabian Sea via Gwadar Port — giving Beijing a direct trade route that bypasses the contested South China Sea.

Beyond the highways and cables, Chinese companies have quietly begun mineral exploration in the northern areas, tapping into deposits of copper, lead, and precious stones. What began as an infrastructural partnership has slowly evolved into an economic foothold.

So while the world speaks of India and Pakistan, the third power has already secured its corner of the valley — quietly, efficiently, and permanently.

The Natural Wealth Beneath the Valleys

For centuries, Kashmir’s wealth was measured in its saffron fields, silk, and walnut wood. But modern eyes see a different kind of treasure. Underneath those majestic ranges lie vast mineral deposits like copper, zinc, bauxite, coal, marble, uranium, and traces of lithium.

The Neelum Valley and Hunza–Gilgit belt are rich in gemstones: rubies, emeralds, topaz, and aquamarine. In the Indian-held side, Kupwara and Poonch districts have been sites of graphite and coal exploration. Beneath the cold stones of Ladakh are reserves of rare earth elements crucial for batteries and electronics, a new gold rush for the 21st century.

Hydropower is another jewel. The fast-flowing rivers of the Himalayas could produce thousands of megawatts of clean energy. India, Pakistan, and China are all racing to build dams, each seeking energy security and leverage over water supply.

But behind this race lie deep scars. Locals in Kashmir and Jammu report forests being cleared, rivers diverted, and valleys flooded for dam construction. The Mangla Dam, once hailed as a triumph, displaced over 100,000 people and submerged entire towns.

Learn more about the Mangla Dam here.

What was once a valley of blessings has become an excavation site. As one Kashmiri elder once said,

“Our mountains stood tall to protect us. Now they are being hollowed to feed others.”

The People of the Valley

Amid the talk of minerals, borders, and military maps, it’s easy to forget the people, the very soul of Kashmir. More than 20 million Kashmiris live across the divided regions, each carrying the burden of identity shaped by conflict.

On one side, families wake up under Indian security restrictions; on the other, they live with Pakistani administration and limited autonomy; and high up north, small Gilgiti communities adapt to Chinese influence through trade routes.

Generations have grown up seeing soldiers where shepherds once walked. Yet despite division, the Kashmiri identity endures, defined by Adab (respect), Sabr (patience), and Izzat (honour). These are people who cherish simplicity, hospitality, and poetry even amid loss.

For those in the diaspora, particularly in the UK, the longing never fades. Their children may grow up in Birmingham or Bradford, but their hearts still echo with names like Mirpur, Kotli, Neelum, Sopore, and Srinagar. The Kashmiri spirit, like its rivers, keeps flowing, finding new paths even when obstructed.

The Strategic Chessboard of Asia

Beyond its beauty and resources, Kashmir’s importance lies in its geography, a land where four nuclear powers converge within a few hundred kilometres. It is the hinge that connects South Asia to Central Asia, and the barrier that separates India from China.

Control of Kashmir means control of key mountain passes: the Karakoram Pass, the Siachen Glacier, and the Indus River headwaters. These are not mere landscapes; they are natural fortresses.

India sees Kashmir as a security shield protecting its northern border. Pakistan views it as its lifeline, especially for water from the Indus. China regards it as a buffer between its western provinces and the turbulent subcontinent.

This makes Kashmir not only a local issue but a global flashpoint. The Himalayas are not just mountains, they are the world’s youngest and most restless range, and whoever commands them commands the high ground of Asia.

In strategic terms, Kashmir is the chessboard where each move could tip the balance of power. For the people living atop that board, life has become a game they never volunteered to play.

Excavations and Exploitation

From mining in Gilgit-Baltistan to hydropower dams in Azad Kashmir and infrastructure projects in Ladakh, all sides are now carving deeper into the mountains. These projects promise development but bring irreversible environmental damage.

In the past decade, hundreds of exploration permits have been granted to foreign and local companies. Roads cut through virgin forests; rivers once turquoise now run brown with sediment. The extraction of minerals, timber, and water continues at a pace the environment cannot sustain.

For locals, this feels like a second occupation, not of armies, but of corporations. The promise of progress rarely reaches the people who live closest to the land. Their mountains yield wealth, but they remain poor. Their rivers light up cities far away, but their own villages remain dark.

“We are rich in everything, except in freedom,” said one Kashmiri farmer from Muzaffarabad. His words capture the essence of this paradox.

The Beauty That Still Shines

And yet, despite it all, Kashmir’s beauty refuses to fade. Its valleys bloom every spring, the tulips and saffron fields painting the land in colour. The Dal Lake mirrors the mountains like a sheet of glass. In Neelum, waterfalls cascade from unseen heights, while in Hunza, glaciers glisten under the sun.

Even under occupation, the land remains generous — feeding those who farm its soil, inspiring those who paint its views, and humbling those who visit.

Tourism has always been Kashmir’s quiet strength. Beyond politics, visitors find peace in its mosques, temples, and shrines, symbols of a time when Kashmir was truly a cradle of coexistence. Preserving this beauty is not just an environmental duty but a moral one.

It is what connects all Kashmiris, no matter which side of the Line of Control they stand on.

A Land Beyond Borders

The question remains: is the world’s interest in Kashmir truly about its people, or about what lies beneath their feet?

If it were about the people, the UN resolution of 1948 would not still be collecting dust. The plebiscite would have happened, and the people of the valley would have had their say. Instead, their voices were drowned out by the sound of artillery and bulldozers.

What the world calls a dispute is, in truth, a story of a land too rich for its own good. A valley where nature wrote poetry, and nations wrote politics.

Kashmir is not just a border — it is the beating heart of the Himalayas, the lifeline of rivers, the mirror of cultures, and the dream of millions who still whisper, “One day, this land will breathe free again.”