▁The ▁occupation ▁of ▁Tib et ▁by ▁Commun ist ▁China ▁brought ▁both ▁nations ▁even ▁closer . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁the ▁then - Ind ian ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁J aw ah ar l al ▁Ne h ru ▁visited ▁Bh ut an ▁and ▁re iter ated ▁India ' s ▁support ▁for ▁Bh ut an ' s ▁independence ▁and ▁later ▁declared ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Parliament ▁that ▁any ▁ag gression ▁against ▁Bh ut an ▁would ▁be ▁seen ▁as ▁ag gression ▁against ▁India . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁rum our ▁in ▁India ▁political ▁circle ▁that ▁China ▁was ▁seeking ▁to ▁' li ber ate ' ▁S ik kim ▁and ▁Bh ut an . ▁Ne h ru ▁stated ▁in ▁the ▁Lok ▁Sab ha ▁that ▁the ▁defence ▁of ▁the ▁territorial ▁u pr ight ness ▁and ▁front iers ▁of ▁Bh ut an ▁was ▁the ▁responsibility ▁of ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁India . ▁This ▁statement ▁was ▁immediately ▁object ed ▁to ▁by ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁of ▁Bh ut an , ▁saying ▁Bh ut an ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁prote ctor ate ▁of ▁India ▁nor ▁did ▁the ▁treat y ▁involve ▁national ▁defence ▁of ▁any ▁sort . ▁ ▁The ▁period ▁saw ▁a ▁major ▁increase ▁in ▁India ' s ▁economic , ▁military ▁and ▁development ▁aid ▁to ▁Bh ut an , ▁which ▁had ▁also ▁emb ark ed ▁on ▁a ▁programme ▁of ▁modern isation ▁to ▁bol ster ▁its ▁security . ▁While ▁India ▁repeatedly ▁re iter ated ▁its ▁military ▁support ▁to ▁Bh ut an , ▁the ▁latter ▁expressed ▁concerns ▁about ▁India '