The Bakarwal (also spelled Bakkarwal, or Bakerwal) are a nomadic Muslim ethnic group and a sub-group of the larger Gujjar community. They primarily inhabit the Indian Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, where they have been listed as a Scheduled Tribe since 1991. The Gujjar-Bakarwal are among the largest Muslim tribal communities in the region and constitute the third-largest ethnic group in the Indian-administered part of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Bakarwal are traditionally pastoral nomads, known for seasonally migrating with their livestock in search of suitable grazing pastures. Their annual transhumance involves moving between high-altitude meadows in the summer and lower-altitude areas during the winter. They were officially enumerated as a distinct group for the first time during the 2001 Census of India.

They inhabit a vast area stretching from the Pir Panjal Range to Zanskar, located in the Himalayan mountains of India . Their seasonal migration patterns encompass regions such as Suru Valley and Kargil in Ladakh, and they traverse the Pir Panjal and Banihal passes during their transhumance. This extensive migration route underscores their deep-rooted connection to the diverse terrains and climates of the Himalayan region.

Bakarwals and Gujjars are often grouped together as a single social and ethnic community due to their shared ancestry, language, religion, and cultural practices. Both groups speak dialects of Gojri, practice Islam, and follow similar customs in terms of dress, food, and social organization. As a result, they are frequently treated as a unified tribal category in official classifications and government records, particularly in the context of their Scheduled Tribe status in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The Bakarwal community is not limited to India; they are also found in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. Significant populations of Bakarwals reside in some areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. These areas serve as important seasonal and permanent settlements for the community, reflecting their traditional patterns of transhumance and pastoralism.

Despite these commonalities, Gujjars and Bakarwals are often distinguished by their traditional modes of livelihood. Bakarwals are primarily a nomadic pastoralist group who migrate seasonally with their herds of sheep and goats in search of grazing pastures in the Himalayan highlands during summer and lower-altitude regions in winter.

One view suggests that the Bakarwals emerged in the twentieth century as a mix of Gujjars, Awans, and others from present-day Hazara, Pakistan. However, this view is not recognized by the Bakarwals themselves, and there is no historical or traditional evidence supporting such an origin.

The Bakarwals and Gujjars in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir sometimes practice inter-tribal marriages as well.^{[full citation needed]}