Tibet and Pachsheel Agreement

Agreement on Trade and Intercourse between the Tibet region of China and India,' better known as the 'Panchsheel Agreement.'

Why Panchsheel Agreement was signed?

Hundred years ago (in July 1904) a young British colonel, Francis Younghusband, forced his way into the holy city of Lhasa. it was meeting of two different worlds for the first time.

Tibet was 'acknowledged' by London as a separate nation. China was extremely unhappy not to be a party to the accord.Ten years later (March 1914), wanting to show fairness, London called for a tripartite conference in Simla to settle the issue: The result was not fully satisfactory as the Chinese only initialized the main document and did not ratify it. The British and Tibetans however agreed on a common border demarcated on a map: the famous McMahon Line was born.

Treaty was in force when India became independent in August 1947

In October 1950, Mao's troops marched into Tibet. Lhasa appealed to the United Nations against China's invasion of Tibet. India was unable to stand up in favour of their peaceful neighbour against the might of Red China. In May 1951, some of the Dalai Lama's representatives signed -- 'under duress' -- a 17-Point Agreement with Communist China. For the first time in its 2,000-year history, Lhasa officially 'accepted' Tibet as a part of China

Panchsheel Agreement between India and China on April 29, 1954 marked the tail-end of events set in motion by the entry of Younghusband into Tibet.

It is composed of two parts: the Preamble (the Five Principles) and the content (regarding trade between India and Tibet and pilgrimage rights for Indians and Tibetans).

Five Principles of panchsheel agreement are :

1. Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty

2. Mutual non-aggression against anyone.

3. Mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs

4. Equality and mutual benefit

5. Peaceful co-existence

Drawback to India

-Chinese intrusions into Indian territory began hardly 3 months after the signature of the accord.

-Agreement opened the door to China's military control of the Roof of the World by the People's Liberation Army. This translated into building a network of roads and airstrips heading towards the Indian frontiers in NEFA and Ladakh.

-Damming and diversion of the Brahmaputra. because the people of Tibet have no say in what is happening in their country.

-India accepted Tibet as part of China. Though neither the Preamble (the Five Principles) nor the provisions of the agreement are in force today, the acceptance of Tibet as a part of the People's Republic of China remains a fact.

-China Captured sinkiang in ladakh.Tibet-Sinkiang highway' is cutting through Indian territory. Beijing in return recognited Arunachal Pradesh as being a part of India has been mentioned as a possible compensation. But this does not make any sense as the Chinese claim on Arunachal is legally and historically empty of any substance.