Kautilya’s Arthashastra : Strategic Cultural Roots of India’s Contemporary Statecraft

This book studies India’s foreign policy through the lens of Kautilya’s __Arthashastra__, an ancient Indian treatise on state and statecraft. It assesses the extent of influence of the foundational elements/core beliefs extrapolated from the __Arthashastra__ on the nation’s international behaviour to understand the grand strategic preferences of independent India. The volume examines the basic realist and cultural underpinnings of statecraft such as __Yogakshema__ (Political End Goal), __Saptanga__ (Seven Elements of State), __Sadgunyas__ (Six Measures of Foreign Policy), __Rajdharma__ (Duty of a King), __Rajamandala__ (Circle of kings), and __Dharma__ (Order), mooted in the __Arthashastra__ which have withstood the test of time and space. It evaluates the continuity of strategic cultural traits under the themes of nonalignment, bilateral relations with China and Pakistan, and nuclear policy. An important intervention in the study of India’s foreign policy, the book will be useful for scholars and researchers of foreign policy, defence policy, international relations, defence and strategic studies, political science, Indian political thought, political philosophy, classical literature, and South Asian studies. "This book studies India's foreign policy through the lens of Kautilya's Arthashastra, an ancient Indian treatise on state and statecraft. It assesses the extent of influence of the foundational elements/core beliefs extrapolated from the Arthashastra on the nation's international behaviour to understand the grand strategic preferences of independent India. The volume examines the basic realist and cultural underpinnings of statecraft such as Yogakshema (Political End Goal), Saptanga (Seven Elements of State), Sadgunyas (Six Measures of Foreign Policy), Rajdharma (Duty of a King), Rajamandala (Circle of kings), and Dharma (Order), mooted in the Arthashastra which have withstood the test of time and space. It evaluates the continuity of strategic cultural traits under the themes of nonalignment, bilateral relations with China and Pakistan, and nuclear policy. An important intervention in the study of India's foreign policy, the book will be useful for scholars and researchers of foreign policy, defence policy, international relations, defence and strategic studies, political science, Indian political thought, political philosophy, classical literature, and South Asian studies"-- Provided by publisher Cover Endorsement Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents Foreword Preface Glossary of Sanskrit/Hindi Terms Introduction Chapter 1 Kautilya’s Arthashastra: Central Paradigm and Grand Strategic Preferences Chapter 2 Nehruvian Foreign Policy (1947–1964): Realism and Idealism Chapter 3 Shastri and Indira (1964–1984): Righteous Wars Chapter 4 Rajiv and Rao (1984–1998): Modernization and Liberalization Chapter 5 Vajpayee and Singh (1998–2014): Alignment and Autonomy Chapter 6 Modi’s Foreign Policy (2014–2019): Peace and Power Chapter 7 Grand Strategic Preferences and India’s Nuclear Doctrine Conclusion Bibliography Index