The Bhutias are a Sikkimese community who trace their ancestry to Tibet. They speak Sikkimese and Drenjongke, a Tibetic language. They are one of two communities who are considered to be indegenous to Sikkim, the other being the Lepchas.

From the 8th Century there has been a steady migration of Bhutias from Tibet to Sikkim and neighbouring Bhutan. However, in the 13th Century there was a large influx of Bhutias fleeing religious persecution in Tibet. Bhutias are followers of the Red Sect of Tibetan Buddhism which is said to be one of the four original schools of the religion.

Traditionally, the Bhutia community follow a feudal structure with most of them being tenants of landowning nobility or landowners themselves.