The Prefecture was erected and constituted on January 17, 1952, under the name of "Prefectura Apostolica de Kashmir et Jammu" and named Prefecture Apostolic of Jammu and Kashmir on May 4, 1968. The Prefecture comprised the districts of Kashmir and Ladakh (till then part of Rawalpindi diocese) and the districts of Jammu and Poonch (till then part of the Diocese of Lahore). The Prefecture was entrusted to the Mill Hill Missionary Society London, who worked here till 1978.

In 1978, the Prefecture was entrusted to the Indian Capuchins and Fr Hippolytus Kunnunkal ofm cap of the St. Joseph's Capuchin Province, India was appointed the first Indian Prefect Apostolic.

A diocese was erected on September 7, 1986, with St. Mary's Jammu Cantt, as Cathedral. It was named as Diocese of Jammu Srinagar. The diocesan curia which was in Srinagar from 1952 onwards was shifted to Jammu on December 23, 1986.