Why did the British create a special agency in Gilgit in 1889?

The British established a special agency in Gilgit in 1889 primarily for strategic reasons. During the late 19th century, the region served as a critical component of a political buffer zone designed to protect the British Indian Empire from the expansionist interests of the Russian Empire and China in Central Asia.1

This period of intense geopolitical rivalry between Britain and Russia is historically known as the Great Game. By formalizing the agency in Gilgit, which was recognized as part of the Kashmir princely state, the British sought to secure their northern frontier and monitor the shifting political landscape in the Pamirs region.21