Human Flows, Trade and Security: The Changing Role of the Chumbi Valley in the Himalayan Region

Extensive land and maritime networks have crisscrossed Asia for centuries providing the basis for encounters between diverse people and cultures. The Chumbi Valley of Tibet at the tri junction between Bhutan, India and China (Tibet) is one such corridor that has made possible a stream of human migration from Tibet to the south as well as the exchange of religious and political ideas leading to the formation of the states of Bhutan and Sikkim (a part of India since 1974) in the 17th century. The role of the Chumbi Valley has been changing over time. The British after coming to India were allured by the prospects of trade with the Himalayan region, Tibet and beyond, through this route. They were also concerned for the security of their Indian empire from Russia beyond Tibet. The aftermath was the British expedition of 1904 that forced open the valley to British trade marts. Lately, China has also become interested in the valley out of strategic motivations. China’s rising military modernization, rapid force deployment and expanding communication network in the region has become a matter of concern for India. China’s presence in Chumbi Valley not only gives her proximity to India’s North-East and particularly the Siliguri corridor but ultimately gives passage to Nepal and Bhutan.