India–China Relations and the Panchsheel Doctrine

01.09.2025

India–China Relations and the Panchsheel Doctrine
 

Context
 At the 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held bilateral discussions highlighting border peace and opportunities for deeper cooperation.

About India–China Relations and the Panchsheel Doctrine

Background
The Panchsheel principles, or Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, were first outlined in the 1954 Agreement on Trade and Intercourse with Tibet between India and China.

The Five Principles:

• Respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
   
• Commitment to non-aggression.
   
• Non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.
   
• Equality and mutual benefit.
   
• Peaceful coexistence.
   

These principles were championed by Jawaharlal Nehru and Zhou Enlai, later referenced in the Bandung Conference (1955), UNGA resolution (1957), and the Non-Aligned Movement (1961).

Strategic Importance of Panchsheel

For India:

• Provides a diplomatic framework that supports non-alignment and autonomous foreign policy.
   
• Ensures India’s sovereignty and equality in dealings with larger powers.
   
• Helps maintain strategic autonomy, avoiding full alignment with US or China.
   
• Enhances India’s image as a responsible regional power.
   

For China:

• Allows China to present a cooperative, non-confrontational image internationally.
   
• Frames its relationship with India in terms of partnership rather than rivalry.
   
• Offers a diplomatic justification for regional policies under the language of peace and equality.
   
• Supports China’s narrative of being a stabilizing regional actor.
   

Global Relevance

• Supports multipolarity, balancing influence against dominant powers.
   
• Demonstrates South–South cooperation and fairer global governance.
   
• Provides an alternative to bloc politics, promoting coexistence over confrontation.
   

Challenges in Implementation

• Border clashes: Incidents like Doklam (2017) and Galwan (2020) show fragility of peace agreements.
   
• Trade imbalance: Bilateral trade favors China, creating economic dependency for India.
   
• Sovereignty concerns: Initiatives like BRI and CPEC, along with Chinese naval presence, challenge India’s territorial claims.
   
• Geopolitical balancing: India’s growing engagement with QUAD and the US is seen by China as containment.
   

Opportunities

• Economic collaboration: Technology, renewable energy, and pharmaceuticals offer mutual gains.
   
• Multilateral engagement: SCO, BRICS, and G20 provide platforms to manage Western dominance.
   
• Global governance reforms: Shared interests in WTO reforms, climate action, and UNSC restructuring.
   
• Cultural ties: Buddhism, pilgrimages, and tourism strengthen people-to-people connections.
   

Way Forward

• Reaffirm Panchsheel: Use the principles as a framework for border dispute resolution.
   
• Confidence-building: Hotlines, joint patrols, and local agreements can reduce conflicts along the LAC.
   
• Issue-based cooperation: Focus on climate, counter-terrorism, and fair trade for constructive engagement.
   
• Regional forums: SCO, BRICS, and Indo-Pacific platforms can help stabilise ties while managing global rivalries.
   
• Economic strategy: Reduce import dependence on China while exploring complementary trade opportunities.
   

Conclusion
 Although tested over decades, the Panchsheel doctrine continues to guide India–China relations. Its revival in 2025 demonstrates that while border tensions exist, principles of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and strategic autonomy remain central to India’s approach.