Bharat Himalayan International Strategic Manch -Discovering the Lost Soul

By Soumitra Banerji

Some time ago, heard of a strategic Think Tank taking shape in the right direction…BHISHM (Bharat Himalayan International Strategic Manch), inaugurated by the Governor of Uttarakhand, Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd); and heavily guided by the top Military Brass – including the former CDS Gen Anil Chauhan.

Uttarakhand was formed on the 9^th of November, 2000 … then known as Uttaranchal…finally getting its current name on the 1^st of January 2007. That too after an arduous decade long movement and struggle, driven by the distinct culture, geography and socio-economic needs of this specific Himalayan region.

However, more than 25 years have since passed without Uttarakhand really rising to the dreams and aspirations of its very own people who struggled to make it happen. Who wanted to appropriate their own land primarily for themselves. A state for which her tall leaders, of the likes of Indramani Badoni, Dr Devi Datt Pant, Kashi Singh Airy, Jaswant Singh Bisht, Kamala Pant…and so many others fought with their life, blood and passion; to make it happen.

They dreamt of an Uttarakhand where the locals would carve out their homeland that would make their country proud. A geopolitically relevant State driven by her native thought process; and National contribution through local eyes. And NOT being overtaken by the culture, ethos and a thought process and philosophy mismatch…as alien as when it was a part of a much larger Uttar Pradesh.

So when I heard of BHISHM I got marinated with positive hope…the right thought process…and with the right kind of people behind it. So, the task of BHISHM seems to be well cut out…as has already been referred to by their new mentor, Gen Anil Chauhan (Retd).

The establishment of this specific Manch impacts the regional geopolitics of Uttarakhand and China-Tibet border across several critical areas:

1. Decentralizing Strategic Thought (“Intimacy of Terrain): Historically, India’s core geopolitical and military doctrines have been generated from metropolitan hubs like New Delhi. The founding philosophy of the Bharat Himalayan International Strategic Manch is to establish a nerve centre of strategic thought directly within the Himalayan heartland.
   • The Reality Gap: Decisions regarding high-altitude warfare, mountain border infrastructure, and local migration patterns require what military planners call “Terrain Intimacy”.
   • By headquartering the Think Tank in Dehradun – a city that already hosts the IMA, The Survey of India, The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology; and the FRI – the Manch bridges the gap between Delhi’s policymakers and the ground realities of the rugged LAC.
2. Elevating the “Middle Sector” of the LAC: The Line of Actual Control is divided into Western (Ladakh), Eastern (Arunachal Pradesh), and Middle (Uttarakhand/Himachal Pradesh) sectors. The Middle Sector has traditionally seen fewer active military standoffs than Ladakh or Tawang; but China has quietly expanded its dual-use border infrastructure (Xiaokang Villages) opposite Uttarakhand.
   • At the launch of the Manch, the former CDS General Anil Chauhan (Retd) explicitly delivered a keynote on “Frontiers, Borders and LAC: The Middle Sector”, highlighting the region’s rapidly ascending priority.
   • Through its Himalayan Geostrategic Centre, the Think Tank provides dedicated, long-range scenario modeling specifically tailored to Uttarakhand’s 350-Km border. It ensures that the Middle Sector is not blindsided by gray-zone tactics or sudden Chinese assertions in localised contested areas like the ‘Barahoti Plains’.
3. Redefining Security Through “Mountain Sustainability”: One of the most profound geopolitical realisations of the 21^st Century is that security in the Himalayas cannot be achieved by military boots on the ground alone; it requires environmental and demographic stability. The Manch addresses this via its Mountain Sustainability Forum.
   • Reversing Border Depopulation: Uttarakhand has long suffered from “Ghost Villages” – border settlements abandoned by youth seeking economic opportunities elsewhere. Empty villages leave a vacuum that compromises territorial intelligence.
   • The Think Tank treats climate resilience, disaster risk management, and local economic security as core defence imperatives. By finding ways to sustain populations in high-altitude zones, it bolsters India’s front-line human infrastructure against Chinese incursions.
4. Countering China’s Narrative Strategy: Geopolitics along the Indo-Tibetan border is fought as much in the realm of psychology and culture as it is in the mountains. China frequently attempts to rewrite geographical names and erase traditional cultural links across the Tibetan Plateau.
   • The Manch actively works to project a civilisational and environmental narrative rooted in Indian Himalayas.
   • By emphasising the deep spiritual, historical, and hydrological significance of Uttarakhand – the cradle of the Ganga and Yamuna rivers and ancient trade routes-the forum positions India not merely as a modern military actor defending a line on a map, but as a long-standing custodian of the Himalayan ecosystem.

The Big Picture: Thus BHISHM transitions India from a reactive defensive posture along the Uttarakhand-Tibet border into a proactive, intellectually autonomous shaper of regional policy. It ensures that defence modernization, infrastructure, planning and ecological security converge seamlessly.

(Do track this space for more into the evolution of BHISHM and related thought process on Uttarakhand)