TRADE ROUTE FOUNDATIONS

For the last more than six months, more than 50,000 troops from China and India are facing each other in a state of high alert and at huge costs. They are expected to stay put in the inhuman conditions for this winter as the series of talks between the two countries have failed to manage peace. The same heights were in questions exactly 150 years ago when the British India and the Kashmir government entered into an agreement to lay a formal trade route between Ladakh and the East Turkistan. The agreement signed by Maharaja Ranbir Singh and Viceroy’s representative, Thomas Douglas Forsyth (1827-1886) on April 2, 1870 was ratified by the Governor General at Sialkot on May, 2, 1870 on whose behalf C U Aitchison, Secretary Foreign department signed it. Based on the agreement, the rules guiding the Joint Commission were issued in 1872

THE AGREEMENT

WHEREAS in the interest of the high contracting parties and their respective subjects it is deemed desirable to afford greater facilities than at present exist for the development and security of trade with Eastern Turkestan, the following Articles have with this object been agreed upon:

ARTICLE I: With the consent of the Maharaja, officers of the British Government will be appointed to survey the trade routes through the Maharaja’s territories from the British frontier of Lahoul to the territories of the Ruler of Yarkand, including the route via the Chang Chemoo Valley. The Maharaja will depute an officer of his Government to accompany the surveyors, and will render them all the assistance in his power. A map of the routes surveyed will be made, an attested copy of which will be given to the Maharaja.

ARTICLE II: Whichever route towards the Chang Chemoo Valley shall, after examination and survey as above, be declared by the British Government to be the best suited for the development of trade with Eastern Turkestan shall be declared by the Maharaja to be a free highway in perpetuity, and at all times for all travellers and traders.