Political Treaties: An Analysis in the Contemporary Perspective

Abstract

The ancient Indian political thinker Kamandaka composed the Nitisara, a distinguished treatise on political science that occupies a prominent place alongside the Arthashastra of Kautilya. The Nitisara is generally dated either to the Gupta period (around the 5th century CE) or to the period between the 6th and 7th centuries CE. Acknowledging Kautilya as his preceptor, Kamandaka pays tribute to him through invocatory verses at the beginning of the text and develops the framework of the Nitisara primarily from the fundamental principles of the Arthashastra. While presenting a concise version of Kautilya's political philosophy, he also incorporates his own original ideas in poetic form.

Essentially, the Nitisara is a Sanskrit treatise on political science that discusses numerous aspects of statecraft, including the classification of treaties (Sandhi), the Saptanga Theory of the State, the nature and qualities of a king, and various principles of governance. According to Kautilya, when a king considers himself weaker than his enemy, it is prudent to enter into a treaty. Kamandaka elaborates this concept with remarkable precision and identifies sixteen different types of treaties, most of which were also recognized by political thinkers such as Shukra and Kautilya. Although the sage Yajnavalkya emphasized the importance of treaties in safeguarding political interests, he did not classify their different forms.

Among the nineteen chapters (Sargas) of the Nitisara, the ninth chapter, entitled "Sandhi Vikalpam" (The Classification of Treaties), provides a comprehensive and systematic exposition of the concept of treaties. The present paper discusses the institution of treaties on the basis of this chapter, highlighting their significance and relevance from both historical and contemporary political perspectives.