This article intends to add something new to the body of scholarship on Bhutan's IR by moving away from a solely India–China frame of reference. Small, non-island, and non-western governments, like Bhutan, are increasingly important yet under-studied in international relations, and it is an important reason to pay greater attention to them. The article also highlights how conventional studies of Bhutan have only concentrated on Bhutan's relationship with India as well as Chinese threats. This results in a better understanding of Bhutan's internal drivers of foreign policy, such as its position on the Doklam crisis. This study postulates new dimensions and insight into Bhutan's global diplomacy.