Why did the British view the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir as a strategic buffer zone?

The British viewed the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir as a strategic buffer zone to safeguard the northern flank of their Indian empire during the 19th century. By establishing this state in 1846, the British created a complex political barrier interposed between their territories and the expanding empires of Russia and China to the north.1

This geopolitical arrangement was a key component of the Great Game, a period of intense rivalry between Britain and Russia in Central Asia. The region’s rugged, mountainous terrain served as a natural defensive perimeter, and the British further solidified their influence by establishing a special agency in Gilgit in 1889 to monitor the northern frontier. By maintaining this buffer, the British aimed to prevent direct contact or encroachment by rival powers, thereby protecting the security and stability of their colonial interests in the Indian subcontinent.12