Leh, Ladakh's capital and biggest city, reportedly recorded a high 33.5 degrees Celsius temperature in July this year, while the region's Kargil vision saw temperatures rise to 37.5 degrees Celsius.

“I’ve never seen this much snow,” says the woman next to me. As the plane descends into the capital of Ladakh, in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region, signs of life appear. Green slivers ...