International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Geostrategic Significance of Eastern Himalayan Terrain: A Critical Analysis of India-Bhutan Border Security

Geopolitical analysis provides crucial insights into a nation's position among its neighbours, revealing how geography and political dynamics shape national behavior, regional relations, and foreign policy directions. The configuration of borders is influenced by both natural and political forces, plays a central role in a nation’s security and development. The Himalayan region illustrates this vividly: while its northern and central zones remain scarcely populated due to high elevation and harsh climatic conditions, the lower Shivalik and southern Himalayan ranges offer hospitable environments with higher oxygen levels and abundant rainfall, fostering dense settlements and forming critical corridors for habitation and defence. These zones are crucial for understanding the geopolitics of southern Himalayan region, especially in nations such as Bhutan, India, Tibbet Autonomous Region, and Nepal. Bhutan’s high-altitude borderlands hold strategic importance as a geopolitical buffer zone, as demonstrated by incidents like the Doklam standoff, which highlight the enduring security sensitivities in the region. Many research work has done on southern Himalayan region but there is lack of terrain study for border security hence that study is focusing on India Bhutan terrain for securing border. This research aims to address that gap by examining the eastern Himalayan terrain of border area along India and Bhutan. Using a descriptive and exploratory approach grounded in secondary data, the study identifies vital geopolitical areas and analyses their implications for border security and cooperation. The findings seek to inform policy frameworks for effective India-Bhutan border management, linking terrain-based insights with broader strategic and diplomatic objectives.