The Kashmir basin situated in the north-western Himalaya has a NW-SE extent with a strike length of about ~145–150 km and width of ~45–50 km (Fig. 1). The Kashmir basin located in the collision zone between the Indian and Eurasian plates can serve as an excellent study area for neo-tectonic activity and earthquake risk. It is a classic example of an out-of-sequence thrust faulting and is tectonically active as observed from multiple geological evidences. Its geomorphology, structure and lateral extent indicate significant accommodation of stress since long. It seems this fault is actively accommodating some portion of the total India–Eurasia convergence, apart from two well-recognised active structures the Medlicott–Wadia Thrust and the Main Frontal Thrust, which are referred in Vassallo et al. (Earth Planet SciLett 411:241–252, 2015).Advent of satellite remote sensing and GIS has opened new field of vision for geological and hyrological studies. Remote sensing and GIS technology, with its advantages of spatial, spectral and temporal availability of data covering large and inaccessible areas within a short time has become an effective tool in the hands of researchers. The present study gives usdetailed description about the geological and drainage characteristics of the Kashmir basin and district Shopian of Jammu and Kashmir using Geo-spatial tools.