The Rearmament and Arms Control Policy under Sir George Ross-Keppel: Strategies, Implications, and Legacy in the North-West Frontier

Abstract

This study explores the rearmament and arms control policy implemented under Sir George Ross-Keppel during his tenure as Chief Commissioner of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) in British India. In February 1899, the Punjab Government ordered the Frontier authorities to disarm the people of settled districts to prevent the supply of arms and ammunition to the trans-border tribes from the British India to minimize the crime in British India. The above act was the result of Great Uprising of 1897-98, which converted the Diamond Jubilee of British Queen Victoria ascending to the throne as a year of trouble. At a time when the region was marked by tribal autonomy, cross-border tensions, and frequent uprisings, Ross-Keppel adopted a pragmatic approach that blended limited rearmament with strategic disarmament to maintain peace and order. His policies focused on regulating arms possession among tribal communities, controlling the flow of weapons across the Durand Line, and using traditional mechanisms such as jirgas to enforce compliance. Rather than imposing blanket disarmament, Ross-Keppel recognized the cultural and security significance of arms among the Pashtun tribes and aimed to co-opt local leadership into a framework of controlled militarization under British oversight. This paper analyzes the rationale, implementation, and long-term implications of these policies, arguing that Ross-Keppel’s approach reflected an early form of hybrid governance—balancing imperial control with indigenous autonomy. The legacy of these strategies continues to influence contemporary debates on arms control and tribal governance in the region.