Why didn't India or China ever annex Bhutan or Nepal? Despite them being respectively run by expansionist powers like the Mughals or the British. To find out watch this short and simple animated history documentary.

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Small countries sandwiched between 2 major powers don't normally have a good time, such as when Poland was carved up between Austria, Russia and Prussia, or when Rome and Persia would take turns in controlling Armenia.

Yet, despite sitting between China and India for centuries, Nepal and Bhutan were never annexed into either.

Which raises the obvious question, why not?

Why weren't Bhutan or Nepal ever annexed?

Well, to begin, between these 2 independent states used to live a third, called Sikkim.

Over the centuries, the 3 had been to war with their neighbours and they rose and fell in power.

As of the 18th century, to their south sat the Mughal Empire, which was an expansionist state but 1 which at that point had a lot of internal problems but also much larger enemies to confront.

1 which would take advantage if the Mughals ever marched north to conquer the Himalayan states.

The Mughals soon collapsed and were replaced by a divided India, much of which would soon fall under the Maratha Empire, but it wouldn't be long until another imperial power would dominate the area.

The British didn't have the manpower to hold the entire subcontinent and so it operated a policy of rule through the natives.

This was where local rulers already in place would keep their positions, so long as they swore to be loyal to Britain or before that the East India Company.

As the British were expanding their influence in the region, so was Nepal and this soon brought the 2 into conflict.

The British primarily wanted to trade with China via the Himalayan states.

The Nepalese said no, a war was fought, the British won, and in return for trade concessions, Nepal and Sikkim retained their independence with a British guarantee on the condition that Britain would gain trade access, and Sikkim would soon afterwards become a protectorate.

Bhutan wasn't conquered by the British either for 1 simple reason, Mild confusion.

When they first turned up, the British had no idea where China ended and whether or not Bhutan was a part of it.

They found out that it wasn't and so, in vain they did.

The British couldn't control the entire state and so in the end it got the lands of Darjeeling in return for a yearly stipend.

After this though, the British were happy to have another buffer state.

And after the British left the region, Nepal and Bhutan were both independent, and so neither were asked to join India or Pakistan.

Whereas since the Khem was a British protectorate, it became an Indian 1 and in the 1970s it formally joined the country.

China claimed the Himalayan states as extensions of Tibet, which had been a Chinese puppet state since the early 18th century.

50 years later Nepal invaded, won, the Qing retaliated and when they won Nepal was forced to pay an annual tribute.

They never conquered the territory because 1.

Conquering a mountain state is very difficult and 2.

It was on the other side of a very reluctant client state which meant maintaining control there would be very difficult, and soon Nepal would be brought into the British sphere of influence, and thus the Qing and later the Chinese republics saw no benefit in invading.

Bhutan staying independent of China is largely the same.

It was geographically very difficult to hold, had close relations with Tibet and conquering it wouldn't provide much in benefits.

And furthermore, when the British turned up and brought Bhutan into its sphere of influence, annexation would mean war.

Obviously, the Chinese were very concerned that Britain would continue to expand its influence to Tibet.

And so, when Britain offered recognition, China annexed Tibet instead, happy to temporarily lose these to permanently gain a much greater landmass.

And after the Communists took power in the country, Mao laid claim to all of these as extensions of Tibet.

But even after the British left, China took no action against these countries, meaning that both of them would remain independent.

I hope you enjoyed this episode and a special thanks to my patrons James Bizonette, Kelly Moneymaker, Sky Chappelle, Korsha Wolf, Jerry Lambdin, Jordan Longley, Adam Stalter, Marcus Arsner, YN Hockey, Spencer Lightfoot, Rod D.

Martin, Words About Books Podcast, Captain Psydog, Gustav Swan, Marvin Casale, Camoon Yoon, Winston K.

Wood, Boogily Woogily, Daniel Tobian, Miss Isette, Matthew Shipley, Aaron the White, Corey Turner, The McWhopper, Alex Schwin, Anthony Beckett, Copper Tone, Maggie Patskowski, Shuenin, Spinning 3 Plates, and Charles the First.


Speaker 0: Small countries sandwiched between 2 major powers don't normally have a good time, such as when Poland was carved up between Austria, Russia and Prussia, or when Rome and Persia would take turns in controlling Armenia. Yet, despite sitting between China and India for centuries, Nepal and Bhutan were never annexed into either. Which raises the obvious question, why not? Why weren't Bhutan or Nepal ever annexed? Well, to begin, between these 2 independent states used to live a third, called Sikkim.

Over the centuries, the 3 had been to war with their neighbours and they rose and fell in power. As of the 18th century, to their south sat the Mughal Empire, which was an expansionist state but 1 which at that point had a lot of internal problems but also much larger enemies to confront. 1 which would take advantage if the Mughals ever marched north to conquer the Himalayan states. The Mughals soon collapsed and were replaced by a divided India, much of which would soon fall under the Maratha Empire, but it wouldn't be long until another imperial power would dominate the area. The British didn't have the manpower to hold the entire subcontinent and so it operated a policy of rule through the natives.

This was where local rulers already in place would keep their positions, so long as they swore to be loyal to Britain or before that the East India Company. As the British were expanding their influence in the region, so was Nepal and this soon brought the 2 into conflict. The British primarily wanted to trade with China via the Himalayan states. The Nepalese said no, a war was fought, the British won, and in return for trade concessions, Nepal and Sikkim retained their independence with a British guarantee on the condition that Britain would gain trade access, and Sikkim would soon afterwards become a protectorate. Bhutan wasn't conquered by the British either for 1 simple reason, Mild confusion.

When they first turned up, the British had no idea where China ended and whether or not Bhutan was a part of it. They found out that it wasn't and so, in vain they did. The British couldn't control the entire state and so in the end it got the lands of Darjeeling in return for a yearly stipend. After this though, the British were happy to have another buffer state. And after the British left the region, Nepal and Bhutan were both independent, and so neither were asked to join India or Pakistan.

Whereas since the Khem was a British protectorate, it became an Indian 1 and in the 1970s it formally joined the country. So what about China to the north? China claimed the Himalayan states as extensions of Tibet, which had been a Chinese puppet state since the early 18th century. 50 years later Nepal invaded, won, the Qing retaliated and when they won Nepal was forced to pay an annual tribute. They never conquered the territory because 1.

Conquering a mountain state is very difficult and 2. It was on the other side of a very reluctant client state which meant maintaining control there would be very difficult, and soon Nepal would be brought into the British sphere of influence, and thus the Qing and later the Chinese republics saw no benefit in invading. Bhutan staying independent of China is largely the same. It was geographically very difficult to hold, had close relations with Tibet and conquering it wouldn't provide much in benefits. And furthermore, when the British turned up and brought Bhutan into its sphere of influence, annexation would mean war.

Obviously, the Chinese were very concerned that Britain would continue to expand its influence to Tibet. And so, when Britain offered recognition, China annexed Tibet instead, happy to temporarily lose these to permanently gain a much greater landmass. And after the Communists took power in the country, Mao laid claim to all of these as extensions of Tibet. But even after the British left, China took no action against these countries, meaning that both of them would remain independent. I hope you enjoyed this episode and a special thanks to my patrons James Bizonette, Kelly Moneymaker, Sky Chappelle, Korsha Wolf, Jerry Lambdin, Jordan Longley, Adam Stalter, Marcus Arsner, YN Hockey, Spencer Lightfoot, Rod D.

Martin, Words About Books Podcast, Captain Psydog, Gustav Swan, Marvin Casale, Camoon Yoon, Winston K. Wood, Boogily Woogily, Daniel Tobian, Miss Isette, Matthew Shipley, Aaron the White, Corey Turner, The McWhopper, Alex Schwin, Anthony Beckett, Copper Tone, Maggie Patskowski, Shuenin, Spinning 3 Plates, and Charles the First.

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Why aren't Bhutan or Nepal a part of China or India?