AN OBJECTIVE APPROACH TO INDO – CHINA TIES

AN OBJECTIVE APPROACH TO INDO – CHINA TIES

1.    India and china are two strange neighbours, which are neither friend nor foes, eyeing each other with a sense of suspicion.  The 2 countries have recently celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the signing of the Pancheel treaty.  The Pancheel treaty, is an agreement on peaceful co-existence. 

2.    The Pancheel treaty was signed on 24^th Apr 1954.  The 5 principle of Pancheel treaty were,

(a)          Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

(b)          Mutual non-aggression

(c)          Mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.

(d)          Equality and mutual benefits

(e)          Peaceful co-existence

3.    It would be instructive to recall what happened between India and China after the Pancheel agreement was signed.  From the mid 1950’s china began to cultivate close relationship with pak, despite being aware of pak’s animosity towards our country.  There was a war in 1962.  There are evidence to suggest that Ayub Khan’s Kashmir misadventure in 1965 had the support of china.

4.    China is the unique case of country arming a neibhour with nuclear wpns to countervail a rival.  However there can be a little doubt over the last 3 or 4 years, China has made attempts to improve its relationship with India. China has officially declared Sikkim as a part of India, during the visit of Chinese premier during mid 2005. 

5.    It will be wise to us cultivate friendship with china on the basis of realistic expectation and not on the basis of history, especially so because China is future superpower.