Panchsheel Principles

Panchsheel is a set of five principles intended to guide peaceful relations among sovereign states. It emphasizes mutual respect, restraint, equality and peaceful coexistence, even where states have different political or social systems.

Historical foundation

The principles were formally incorporated in the preamble to the Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between the Tibet Region of China and India, signed by India and China on 29 April 1954. They were stated as principles governing relations between the two countries.

The five principles

• Mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty: Each state must recognize the independence, authority and territorial integrity of the other.
• Mutual non-aggression: States must refrain from attacking or threatening one another.
• Mutual non-interference in internal affairs: A state must not intervene in matters within another state's domestic jurisdiction.
• Equality and mutual benefit: Relations should be conducted on an equal footing and produce reciprocal benefits.
• Peaceful coexistence: States should maintain peaceful relations despite differences in their political, economic or social systems.

Underlying purpose

Panchsheel seeks to replace domination and bloc-based confrontation with sovereign equality, reciprocal restraint and cooperation. It is a broad diplomatic framework for interstate conduct rather than a detailed procedure for resolving particular disputes.