Plant invasion has great potential to impact ecosystem structure and function. Here, we present a case study wherein we analyzed the influence of Lantana camara on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in tropical forests of Madhya Pradesh. SOC stocks were measured at three depths in Lantana-invaded (LI) and uninvaded (UI) sites. Significantly, SOC was found to be altered by the invasion of Lantana, particularly at 0-10cm depth, and varied between 54.2 and 83.4 Mg C ha−1. The value of SOC stocks (mean) was 21.3, 26.5, and 23.3 Mg C ha−1 in LI sites and 17.8, 25.2, and 22.1 Mg C ha−1 in UI sites, respectively. On average, the percentage of SOC at three different depths was 30%, 37.3%, and 32.7% in LI and 27.3%, 38.7%, and 40% in UI sites, respectively. Soil pH and moisture were also higher in LI sites compared to UI at all the depths, whereas the bulk density was lower in LI compared to UI, sites and it increased significantly with the depth. This study reveals that the SOC stocks are influenced by invasion and would help to understand the impact of invasive plants on SOC pools in tropical forests and predict changes in ecosystem functioning.