Which one of the following is not a principle of “Panchsheel”?

Correct Option

The Panchsheel, or the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, was an agreement signed between India and China on April 29, 1954. These principles were intended to govern relations between states and became a cornerstone of India's foreign policy during the Cold War era. The five principles of Panchsheel are:

1. Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
2. Mutual non-aggression.
3. Mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.
4. Equality and mutual benefit.
5. Peaceful co-existence.

The principle of Non-alignment, while a significant aspect of India's foreign policy and a broader international doctrine that led to the formation of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1961, is not one of the original five principles explicitly stated within the Panchsheel agreement itself.

Incorrect Options

Option (b) Peaceful Co-existence is one of the five core principles of Panchsheel, emphasizing the need for nations with differing ideologies to coexist without conflict.

Option (c) Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty is the first and a fundamental principle of Panchsheel, acknowledging the inviolability of national borders and the independence of states.

Option (d) Mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs is also a direct principle of Panchsheel, advocating for respect for the domestic policies and systems of other nations without external intervention.