The India angle in Bhutan-China border dispute.
Question: Why are armed forces not pushing chinese through bhutan?~Dhananjay Gosavi
The Bhutan- Tibet border like India-Tibet border is not officially recognised by the PRC. This has led to similar problems with respect to its border with Tibet occupied by PRC for Bhutan.
Untill early 1970s India talked with China on behalf of Bhutan, but after Bhutan got its UN membership, it became independent in these discussions with PRC.
Bhutan has had very extensive military ties with India, it even allowed Indian Armed Forces presence in Bhutan during 1962 war. But the outcome of war and subsequent passive policies by New Delhi in dealing with PRC has created doubts in the minds of Bhutanese. And they now doubt the will and ability of government in New Delhi to defend Bhutan. Therefore it has tried to be neutral.
PRC since past few years has been more aggressive and has been creating disputes on territories which didn’t had any as far as any documentation of history goes.
Bhutan currently even has failed to recognise the recent land grab by China in efforts to appease it as they don’t believe in the capabilities of New Delhi to defend them.
Post Script: My personal opinion is that they might be right in doing so. All the while Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed to be Atamanirbhar we still import things like washing soda and shaving blades from PRC! Untill the GOI , especially PMO toughens up, our neighbours won’t put their trust in the Indian Military.
