Few messages could be louder for India's neighbourhood diplomacy. Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Bhutan was aimed at much more than announcing more Indian aid for the Himalayan kingdom. He was the first Indian president to have visited Thimphu in 26 years. Bhutan was the first foreign destination for Narendra Modi only weeks after he had taken charge as India's new prime minister. The new chief of the Indian Army, General Dalbir Singh Suhag, also chose Bhutan for his first overseas trip earlier this month. The three visits together signal the importance that New Delhi attaches to its relations with Thimphu. The tiny Himalayan kingdom has been not only India's protectorate but also a front line for the Indian army. What India does in, and to, Bhutan is absolutely crucial for the country's politics, governance and security. Keeping Thimphu on its side on security and other issues is also essential for New Delhi's geopolitical strategy in the region. Mr Mukherjee may have stated the obvious when he spoke in Thimphu of the importance of the two countries remaining sensitive to each other's concerns, but that is the key to keeping the relations stable and free from misunderstandings.

If New Delhi decided to take a closer look at its relations with Thimphu in recent months, it had good reasons for doing so. For all the declarations of good intention, ties between the two countries had seen some twists and turns in recent years. India had been worried, if not actually alarmed, over attempts by the previous Bhutanese government to strengthen the country's relations with Beijing. Bhutan has not only an old boundary dispute but also other unresolved issues with China. Beijing's attempts to gain a stronger presence in Bhutan can justifiably cause unease in New Delhi. The way China has sought to force its way in territorial disputes with its neighbours in the South China Sea is enough to make countries in the region wary of its designs. The repeated incursions by the People's Liberation Army into Indian territory across the Line of Actual Control are equally worrying signals. New Delhi cannot thus afford to let questionable Chinese tactics derail its ties with Thimphu. But India, too, must be careful not to hurt Bhutanese interests and sentiments. New Delhi must protect Bhutan's security but it should also earn the latter's respect.