Why did India get involved in Doklam if the dispute is mainly between China and Bhutan?
Posted on Feb 06, 2026 / Travel
India doesn’t claim Doklam as its own territory, but it got involved because of its close security ties with Bhutan and concern over regional stability. India and Bhutan have a Friendship Treaty that includes provisions for mutual cooperation on external threats, so when Bhutan objected to China building a road in the disputed area, India supported its neighbor. For India, losing control or influence near Doklam could affect its own security interests, particularly regarding the nearby Siliguri Corridor, a narrow land link that connects the Indian mainland to its northeastern states. The idea is that if China obtained strategic advantage on those ridges, it could potentially threaten that corridor. That’s part of why India chose to intervene during the 2017 standoff rather than let the situation play out without its involvement. India typically prefers diplomatic solutions, but it has acted more assertively when it sees core interests at stake. Bhutan asked for that support, and India provided it as part of their relationship.
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