Anglo-Bhutan Relations

Background

·       Bhutan, located in the eastern Himalayas, maintained a relatively independent position between Tibet, Bengal and Assam. British interest in Bhutan increased as the East India Company expanded into Cooch Behar and Assam, particularly because the Duar region provided important routes from the Bhutanese hills to the plains.

·       The Duar literally means “door” or gateway and referred to the passes connecting Bhutan with the Bengal and Assam plains. Control over these areas became the major source of British-Bhutanese tension.

Beginning of British-Bhutanese Relations

·       British involvement with Bhutan can be traced to 1772, when Bhutan intervened in the affairs of Cooch Behar, which was under British protection.

·       The British responded by intervening militarily, and a settlement was reached in 1774, establishing an early framework of relations between the British and Bhutan.

·       For much of the nineteenth century, however, relations remained unstable because of border disputes, raids, control over the Duars and competing commercial interests.

Ashley Eden Mission, 1864

·       The British sent the Ashley Eden Mission to Bhutan in 1864 to settle disputes concerning the frontier and Bhutanese raids.

·       The mission failed because the Bhutanese authorities rejected the terms proposed by the British, and the British subsequently decided to use military force.

·       This led to the Anglo-Bhutanese War, also known as the Duar War, of 1864–65.

Duar War, 1864–65

• The British wanted greater control over the Duar region bordering Bengal and Assam.
• Border disputes and Bhutanese raids created continuing tensions.
• British expansion into Assam and Cooch Behar brought the two sides into direct conflict.
• The British also wanted to secure commercial and strategic routes through the Himalayan foothills.

·       The British ultimately gained the military advantage, although Bhutanese forces offered resistance, including the temporary recapture of Dewangiri.

Treaty of Sinchula, 1865

The war ended with the Treaty of Sinchula, signed on 11 November 1865. It became the foundation of British-Bhutanese relations for the next several decades.

Major Provisions

·       Territorial Cession:: Bhutan ceded the Bengal Duars, Assam Duars and Dewangiri to British India. The territorial loss amounted to roughly one-fifth of Bhutan’s territory.

·       Annual Subsidy:: In return, the British agreed to provide Bhutan with an annual subsidy of Rs. 50,000.

·       Peace and Non-aggression:: Both sides agreed to maintain peaceful relations, and Bhutan was expected to prevent raids into British territory.

·       Dispute Settlement:: Future disputes were to be referred to the British Government for arbitration, thereby increasing British influence over Bhutan’s external affairs.

·       Trade:: The treaty also facilitated peaceful and freer commercial relations between the two sides.

Historical Assessment

·       The Treaty of Sinchula was territorially unfavourable to Bhutan, but it ended the immediate military conflict and established a more stable relationship with British India.

Relations after the Duar War

·       After 1865, Bhutan largely followed a policy of self-imposed isolation. It maintained relations with British India but avoided allowing a permanent British presence inside Bhutan.

·       Communication with the British was conducted largely through Bhutan’s representative at Kalimpong.

·       Thus, British influence increased, but Bhutan retained substantial internal autonomy.

Ugyen Wangchuck and Changing Relations

·       A major change occurred in the early twentieth century with the rise of Ugyen Wangchuck.

·       During the Younghusband Expedition to Tibet in 1903–04, Ugyen Wangchuck played an important mediating role between the British and Tibetans.

·       His cooperation strengthened his relationship with British officials and increased his political stature within Bhutan. He subsequently became the first hereditary king of Bhutan in 1907.

Treaty of Punakha, 1910

The Treaty of Punakha was signed on 8 January 1910 between Bhutan and British India. It essentially revised the Treaty of Sinchula and became a major turning point in Anglo-Bhutanese relations.

Major Provisions

·       British Guidance in External Affairs: Bhutan agreed to be guided by British advice in its external relations.

·       Non-interference in Internal Affairs: The British promised not to interfere in the internal administration of Bhutan.

·       Increase in Subsidy: The annual British subsidy was increased from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1,00,000.

·       Arbitration:Disputes involving Bhutan and neighbouring Sikkim and Cooch Behar were to be referred to the British for settlement.

Conclusion

Anglo-Bhutan relations evolved from conflict over the Duars to a relationship based on British strategic influence and Bhutanese internal autonomy. The 1865 Treaty of Sinchula established the framework, while the 1910 Treaty of Punakha deepened British influence over foreign affairs. This relationship later influenced the framework inherited by independent India in its relations with Bhutan.