Chief Secretary reviews outcomes of Ladakh Pashmina Conclave 2026.

Chief Secretary reviews outcomes of Ladakh Pashmina Conclave 2026.
Leh, March 12, 2026: The Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kundra, chaired a meeting to review and debrief the proceedings and key outcomes of the Ladakh Pashmina Conclave 2026, with a focus on strengthening the Pashmina value chain in the region.
During the meeting, a detailed presentation was delivered by Secretary, Rural Development Department, Shashanka Ala. The presentation comprehensively covered the current situation of the Pashmina sector in Ladakh, mapping of value chain stakeholders, identification of six key structural challenges, and the major deliberations and conclusions of the conclave. It also highlighted findings from independent experts, evidence on fibre quality from OFDA studies, department-wise action points, and the roadmap for strengthening the sector.
The presentation further outlined top immediate priorities for the next 90 days, key decisions required at the policy level, and a three-year vision describing what success would look like for the Pashmina sector in Ladakh. The roadmap emphasised coordinated action across departments to ensure sustainable growth, improved quality standards, and enhanced livelihoods for pastoral communities dependent on Pashmina production.
While reviewing the outcomes, Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra stressed the need to notify a floor price for Pashmina fibre to ensure fair returns for producers and to regulate buyers. He emphasised the importance of eliminating unnecessary intermediaries and promoting direct transactions between producers and buyers. He also called for a rational pricing mechanism supported by a detailed market assessment study.
The Chief Secretary highlighted the need to modernise the traditional dehairing process and directed officials to create a digital database of sheep and livestock, capturing current status and production details to support better planning and policy implementation. He also emphasised strengthening cooperative institutions and establishing a structured, end-to-end system across the entire Pashmina value chain.
Stressing the importance of global best practices, he directed departments to study international Pashmina processing methods and adopt suitable technologies for upgrading Ladakh’s production and processing systems. He also instructed officials to identify and train skilled yarn makers, bringing in expertise from outside Ladakh where required, to improve the quality and competitiveness of Ladakhi Pashmina.
To ensure focused implementation, the Chief Secretary directed that the initiative be handled in project mode with the appointment of a nodal officer and a dedicated team responsible for day-to-day execution and monitoring of the action plan.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary also interacted with officials from the Sheep Husbandry Department to assess possibilities for scaling up Pashmina production. Discussions covered issues related to breeding practices, farming capacity, and the potential for expanding livestock-based livelihoods in the region.
The meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary Laltinkhuma Franklin, Secretary Industries and Commerce Bhupesh Chaudhary, Secretary Rural Development Shashanka Ala, Secretary Cooperatives Bhanu Prabha, Deputy Director FSL/IFS Mandeep Mittal, Director Industries and Commerce Ashraf Bhat, along with officials from the Sheep Husbandry Department and other concerned departments.