The central secretariat is the admin complex and nodal agency of PF comprising all ministries/departments. Works on the basis of tenure and split system. Politically it is headed by the respective minister and administratively by a secretary.

Split System

Segregation of Policy formulation or PF and Policy implementation or PI between HQ and field agencies. It is believed that PF should be separated from PI since it requires a different mindset. 2nd ARC administrative reforms commission PF requires a broader perspective conceptual understanding and domain expertise, while PI requires in-depth knowledge and managerial skills.

Advantages

• HQ can take a holistic objective perspective and make a dispassionate assessment.
• Policy uniformity and consistency
• Consider intersectoral implications
• Consult the concerned department – Finance and Law
• If the field agencies are made solely responsible for PF, it may lead to ad hocism. Create confusion when the field officer is transferred, changed or moved on
• The policy will become a weathercock while HQ can bring in greater performance

But the split system should not be looked at in an isolated manner, need to bring field perspective to HQ concerned, and give flexibility and operational autonomy to field agencies to adapt to local conditions also HQ is not expected to interfere in day-to-day operations i.e it should not do micromanagement. Along with the split system, the tenure system becomes necessary.

Tenure System

Mobility of officials between field and HQ i.e between state and centre i.e AIS after serving in the field and in state secretariat comes to the central secretariat and then either goes back to states or continues to rise up in the central secretariat. For the past few years, IAS probationers will get attached to different central ministries and departments in their initial training period so as to gain perspective and insights on policy formulation at the beginning stage itself.

Advantages

• Helps both centre and state talent sharing
• Promotes cooperative and collaborative federalism
• Generates a national outlook among public functionaries – transcends parochial boundary and contributes to national integration
• When posted to HQ, they gain knowledge of policy formulation which helps them when they go back to the state and assume greater responsibilities
• It brings field perspective ground realities to HQ which tends to suffer from a lack of time and place knowledge leading to armchair policy formation (making policies at HQ without understanding local needs and variations – one size fits all approach)
• HQ postings increase civil services morale since they carry greater perks, privileges and proximity to the political executive.

Disadvantages

• This may result in an office-dominated admin instead of an officer influencing office procedure, the converse happens procedure becomes sacrosanct and he becomes a procedure worshiper.
• Does not ensure specialisation.
• Some officials may be interested in their field stay while others may want to migrate to the centre. The tenure system does not operate strictly on a rotation basis.
• States also complain about the name of the tenure system, the centre takes away the competent and leaves the residue behind.
• Many officials become birds of passage with divided loyalties between the centre and state or no loyalties.

Structure of central secretariat

The secretariat at fort Williams, Calcutta was designed to function during the company and crown’s period for furnishing information for PF and PI and carrying out orders. Corn Wallis, Wellesley, and Curzon contributed to organising the secretariat on more scientific lines. Today secretariat is an admin complex. The nodal agency of PF comprising of all ministries and departments. Politically it is headed by the respective minister and administratively by a secretary.

Functions

• Staff role – A³
• Secretariat support for the political executive
• Make, modify or evaluate policies
• Draft rules, regulations, amendments, bills …etc
• Undertake sectoral planning, POSDCoRB, HRM
• Securing admin, and financial approvals from competent authorities
• Monitor PI by field agencies
• Do PE – policy evaluation based on feedback
• Initiate measures to develop greater competence in HQ and field
• Deliberate and undertake scrutiny in consultation with other ministries and department
• Assist minister in charge in discharging his duties w.r.t parliamentary responsibilities – Q & A reply statements, assurances, resolutions, motions…etc
• It is a think tank, organisational memory, MIS, and keeps all the surveys, reports, committee findings, investigations….etc

Strengths

• Time-tested systems evolved from company rule to crown rule to the present day.
• The rule-based procedure is driven
• Ensures stability during normal times and crises – smooth transfer of power from one elected government to another
• Committed to political neutrality prevented the politicization of government services and policies
• Wherever essential structural innovations like autonomous bodies like empowered commissions have come up
• The link between PF and PI through the tenure system

Weakness

• Structural, Operational, Personnel
• Structural
  • oversized, bloated bureaucracy, top-heavy
  • Undue emphasis on routine function leads to national priorities not getting the due attention
  • Functions which are best carried out by other agencies or can easily be outsourced or continued to be retained by the centre
  • Fragmentation of function – general trend is to divide and subdivide – Less E3, the law of diminishing marginal utility
  • The proliferation of ministries and departments with weak integration and coordination ( no convergence, duplication, or silos)
  • Extended hierarchy with too many levels causing delays and diffused accountability. Everyone’s responsibility is no one’s responsibility
• Operational
  • Many levels don’t contribute to decision-making or add value – ideally as per the manual of office procedure files are to be declared in 3 levels only (originate, initiate and decide).
  • However, the tendency is to involve everyone – No management by exception – Risk avoidance.
  • Weberian dysfunctions, goal displacement, self-aggrandisement, trained incapacity, status quo, elitist, emphasis is on consultation
  • Movement of files becomes a substitute for decision making leading to delays inefficiencies, and red-tapism(avoidable delay) except for some committees and boards, there is a lack of a culture of delegation and no principle of subsidiary. (if you can delegate you should delegate)

Management observation w.r.t bureaucracy working

• Work expands to the max time available
• Officials multiply sub-ordinates and not rivals
• Eventually, everyone rises to his maximum level of incompetence
• Officials create work for each other
• Trivial issues get sorted out – vital issues remain
• Pareto principle – 20/80 – 80% of work done by 20% of people

Personnel Weakness

• Carrier stagnation at lower levels
• No effective performance appraisal system
• Lack of leadership morale, motivation, capacity building

Solutions by ARC

• The centre should exclusively focus on defence, IR, Justice, ROL, and Human development through access to good quality education and health
• Infrastructure
• Sustainable natural resource management
• Social security
• Social Justice
• Macro-Economic Management
• Only National economic planning w.r.t other sectors centre should adopt the principle of subsidiarity

Advantages of subsidiarity – also advantage of decentralisation, LSG, PRI

• Increase E3
• SMART
• Management by exception
• Stakeholders mentality
• A better understanding of local issues – no remote sensing
• Local finality – local problems get solved at local levels
• Citizen-centric admin – Focus shifts from process to performance. Not only do things right but also do the right things.

Other Reforms

• Downsize / right size
• Redeploy, and retrain surplus staff after manpower planning
• Generalise the specialist and specialise the generalist
• Outsource non-core activities
• Use ICT – Info, Communication, tech – E-Governance and M-Governance
• Delegate, decentralise and give autonomy
• Expose personnel best management practices
• Single window clearance
• RTI and RTS

Chief Secretary – Crisis Management

• Coordination, monitoring, heads crisis management group at the state level.
• In case of man-made crises – L&O, riots, LMN – deal with them fundamentally and not just symptomatically.
• Address the root cause through development, and good governance and bring them into mainstream
• Looks at inter-state disputes and conflicts – can take a long-term and more objective view – make use of their position and being a part of AIS use tact diplomacy in resolving outstanding issues.

Single wheel does not move

– Kautilya

PMO – Prime Minister’s office was called PMS or Prime Minister’s Secretariat until an emergency. Line agencies need A3 – Aid, Advice, and Assistance of staff agencies to perform in E3 – Efficient, Economic and Effective manner. The need is imperative at the apex level of admin, In a parliamentary democracy where the PM has multiple roles and responsibilities, it is inevitable for the PM to have dedicated staff support. Therefore the need for PMS / PMO.

Roles of PMO

• Secretarial assistance to PM
• Headed by Principal Secretary to PM who is also the principal advisor to the PM
• Staff Role A3 – today there are specific domain advisors like NSA, CEA, and Scientific advisor to the PM. But still, it is Principle Secretary to PM who is the principal advisor
• Prepares PM w.r.t Parliamentary responsibilities like departments retained by PM – personnel, space and atomic energy …etc
• PMO is a residual legatee – A function which is specifically not assigned to any other agency operated out of PMO
• The PM relief fund is operated out of PMO
• Image Management – media and other management
• DMU – Delivery monitoring unit for monitoring flagship programmes. Now PRAGATI – Proactive governance and timely implementation. It is a multipurpose and multimodel platform for addressing the common man’s grievances and simultaneously monitoring and reviewing essential programmes and projects of GOI as well as projects flagged by states. It bundles the latest technologies – digital data management video conferencing and geo-spacial technology. It combines cooperative federalism since it brings the secretary of GOI and the chief secretary of state in one stage with the latest info and visuals of the ground-level situation.

Relationship between PMO and Cabinet Secretariat

• 1950’s
  • Nascent existence of PMO. No conflict between PMO and Cab.Sec
• 1960’s
  • Top-ranking Bureaucrats enter PMO for 1st time but Cab. Sec maintained its pre-eminence.
• Late 1960’s and early 1970’s
  • Increase in concentration of powers in PM. Presidentialisation of PM. COM reduced to endorsing body. Therefore PMO emerged as the most trusted agency closer to PM than any other agency. Became the sounding board, eyes and ears. Alter ego of PM.
  • Principle communicator between PM and other agencies. Former bureaucrats recalled in their autobiography that PMO teams accompanied PM on foreign tours even when the foreign minister was not present. A strong PMO supplemented the presidential style of PM’s work and became like a de facto cabinet.
• Emergency Period
  • PMO was the principal think tank, supposed to have controlled RAW and IB during this period. Major foreign policy and economic thinking came from PMO. PM was perceived to be involved in power brokering. Played a key role in the excesses committed during an internal emergency.
• Post Emergency Period
  • Nomenclature changed from PMS to PMO to reduce the institutional importance by verbally downgrading it from secretariate to office. But this was only a cosmetic and symbolic change and ultimately PMO is as powerful as PM, wants it to be or makes it to be.
• The mid to late ’80s
  • Increased size of PMO, separate Minister of State for PMO. Conceived and operated many mission-mode projects like telecom, science, tech…etc. Lateral entry of experts from other sectors to PMO (non-bureaucrats and domain experts like Nandan Nilekani)
• Late 90’s to early 2000
  • Principal Secretary to PM emerged as the chief channel of communication between the PM and other institutions
• Rainbow coalition
  • Of 24 parties increased dependency on PMO for coordination-related issues. Principal Secretary to PM entrusted with multiple responsibilities – functioned as NSA – played a crucial role in negotiating during the IC-814 hijack case.
  • The chief secretary was overshadowed by PMO even cabinet ministers met the PM through the Principal secretary. He is seen as a super advisor assisted by a group of officials seen more as a powerful line agent than a staff agent.
• Current Phase
  • Regulations amended to let PMs choose as Principal Secretary
  • PMO is playing a more hands-on role with mission mode deadlines.
  • In sync with PM’s leadership style. A sense of urgency, close monitoring, real-time tracking, and conflict resolution.
• Conflict resolution and convergence
  • Cabinet Secretariat in this phase is more of a coordinating body and has shown remarkable restraint and maturity and it is refused to be drawn into power politics over the years. Being the oldest of secretariate has sometimes been overshadowed by PMO. The youngest of the secretariate due to its proximity with PM.
  • It is a functional imperative that the PM is given dedicated and adequate staff support given his multiple responsibilities. At the same time, any secretariate requires competent and experienced diplomatic and tactful administrators. At the post of cabinet secretariat, the leadership quality of the civil servant is tested to its maximum. On the other hand post of Principal secretariat to the Prime Minister is uniquely endowed having tempting access to power, because it is closest to the PM.

Ultimately it is up to the incumbent holding the post and on the PM to keep PMO within limits. It is a staff agent and should not become a crutch. PMO is inevitable staff agent and undesirable line agent. Both chief secretary and PMO need to evolve a healthy functional relationship to exercise the responsibilities in E³ manner.

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Themes of FAQ

• Legacy in Public Administration
  • Indianisation of public service
  • Revenue Administration
  • District Administration
  • Features of British administration that are practised even now
    • Unity of Indian administration
    • Rational-legal authority
    • Centralization of Administration – RAO 1773
  • Br Legacy in Judicial Administration
  • Generalist – Neutralist Model
  • Macaulay’s idea of elitist ICS and its negative impact in present times
• Legacy in Local Self Government
  • Lord Ripon as a prophet of LSG
  • Negative impact on Village Self-rule
  • Evolution of LSG
• Legacy in Politics
  • Evolution of polity since British rule
  • The parliamentary system of democracy
    • Charter Act of 1853
    • Cabinet Committees
  • A contradiction of the Philosophy of the Westminster Model with the political culture of India

Legacy of British Rule in Public Administration

The context in which Br B’y was created

• weak central power
• Dependent on regional powers
• inward-looking society – feudalism
• divided by language, colour, race, religion & region
• economically backward

Objective of Br

• Political ambition followed economic success – Flag Followed trade
• Revenue – Economic Exploitation
• L & O – Political Subjugation

The character of Br Rule

• Absentee Sovereignty
• Racial Superiority
• The narrow base of Admins
• Exclusion in Political Admin

Impact on LEJ

• L – Political Legacy
  • Written Constitution
  • Parliamentary D’y
  • Bicameralism – GOI 1919
  • Portfolio System – ICA – 1861 by Canning
  • Cabinet System
  • Committee System – GOI 1935
  • 3 -Tier System – Royal Commission of 1907 for self-rule
• J – Judicial Legacy
  • Rule of Law
  • Anglo Saxon tradition
  • codification of law – CRPC
  • Integrated J
  • Hierarchy of Court
• E
  • Highly Centralised
  • DOP – Federalism – 1935
  • L & O focused

Impact on Bureaucracy

• Positive
  • Merit
  • Neutrality – stable & smooth transfer of power
  • Generalist
  • Tenure System – C & S – P.f & P.i
  • The district as a fundamental Unit of Governance
    • DC – Keystone admin
    • Mai Baap State (dependent on basic needs)
  • Elaborate and independent Civil Service system – recruitment, training, posting, promotions
• Negatives
  • Authoritarian Mentality
    • rule the subjects than serving the citizens
    • inaccessible
    • ivory tower mentality
  • Status Quo Mentality
    • Preserve the system as a catalyst of change
  • Resistant to Grassroot power decentralization
    • Reporting relationship with LSG
  • Elitist
    • Hierarchy & Class Conscious
    • Work above than with people
  • Status Conscious
    • Rural posting as a punishment posting
  • Accountability to superiors not people
  • Generalist not specialist
  • Dependency Syndrome

Themes of FAQ

• Nature of Mughal Administration
• Features of Mughal Administration
• Legacy of Mughal administration in
  • Revenue administration
  • Judicial administration
  • Provincial administration
  • Personnel administration
• Structure of Mughal Administration
  • Mansabdari System or Military Administration
  • Revenue Administration
  • B’y – Central, Provincial, Sub-provincial, Village Administration

Nature of Mughal administration

• Foreign Origin
  • Mansabdar system from central Asia(Uzbeks)
• Militaristic in nature
  • Mansabdar system – a dual role
    • Civilian Officer
    • Military Officer
• Centralised despot
  • King is ultimate
  • Waqaya Nafis – Spies
• Kagazi Raj or Paper Administration
  • Written orders & Record Keeping
  • Written communication
  • Furmons & Royal Orders
• Strong blend of Religion & Politics
  • Sharia Law
  • Jizya on non-muslims
  • Admin posts reserved for Muslims
  • Loyalty to Kalifa
  • Exception – Akbar
    • Introduced Mansabdari System
    • Overhauled revenue administration on scientific lines like taxation based on fertility like Sher Shah Suri
    • Din-i-ilahi – his own religion
    • Liberated from Ulema or Muslim clerics, interpreter’s of shariath
    • Secular
    • Admin posts based on merit – Raja Thodarmal
• Overemphasis on Revenue and Police
• Less emphasis on education, health & S&T
• Enterprising nature
  • Public corporation
  • Karkhanas
• Villages & Small towns
  • parochial self-government
  • Reasonable local autonomy & political freedom

Personnel Administration

• Perso-Arabic system in Indian settings
• No Senapati – so the authority of the King never questioned
• Issues with Unity of Command
• centralisation
• Specialisation – Division of work
• Coordination & Control
• Principle of Hierarchy & Job classification
• Officers are all interchangeable
• Mansabdari System

Mansabdari System by Akbar

• Mansab means position or office or rank
• Mansabdar had dual duties
  • Civil – peace
  • Military – war
• Dual Rank Classification of mansab
  • Zat = Rank
  • Sawar = Cavalry Rank (No of horseman to be maintained)
• Many grades of Ranks
  • < 500 Rank = Mansabdar
  • 500 – 2500 Rank = Amirs
  • > 2500 Rank = Amir-i-umda, Amir-i-azam, Omrahs
• Based on pay
  • Assignment of Jagirs – Jagirdars
  • paid in cash – naqdi
• Appointment, transfer and promotion by King based on merit
• Law or Doctrine of Escheat – Mansabdari not hereditary
  • After death – Property or Jagir confiscated
• Lacked uniformity among soldiers
  • The effectiveness of the army depended on Mansabdar

Jagirdari System

• Jagir is a group of revenue villages from where taxes are collected
• Jagirs were given to Mansabdars to maintain himself & Troops
• Watan jagir – local Chieftain who collects Jagir for Mansabdars
• Not all Jagirdars were mansabdars

Revenue Administration

• Personnel & structure of Revenue Admin
  1. Diwan – Head in Subha or province
  2. Amalgulzar – Sarkar Level or sub-provincial level
  3. Amil, Quanungo & Fotahddhar – Pargana Level
  4. Patwari – Village or Mawdah Level
• Had an elaborate revenue administration or tax collection system without any emphasis on health care, civil amenities

L & O Administration

• Empire – King
• Province – Subadhar 
• Sub-province or District – Faujdar with Kotwal
• Paragana or Tehsil – Shiqdhar
• Village – Chaukidar

Judicial Administration

• Emperor – Fountainhead of justice
• Chief Qazi – Judicial Head – Civil & Criminal
• Sadr-i-sudur – Civil case of a religious character
• Judicial Functionaries
  • Mufti – Interpreted the law
  • Qzai – Investigation
  • Miradi – Delivers Judgement
• Features
  • Sharia Law
  • Civil law depends on religion
  • Criminal Law Uniform

Bureaucracy

Central Admins

• Sultan or King
• Wakil – Imp post held by Biram Khan – later abolished
• Diwan = Like PM + FM = Also a Mansabdar
  • Link b/w king and rest of B’y
  • Stayed at capital
  • Controlled provicial Diwan
• Qazi – Judge
• Mir Bakshi – Army pay master

Provincial – Subha

• Empire divided into Subha
• Headed by Subadhar & Diwan
  • Subadhar or Nazim or Nizam(later)- L & O & Highest Court of Appeal in Subha
  • Diwan – Revenue Admin
• Provincial Bakshi
  • Appointed by King
  • On Mir Bakshi’s advice
  • Responsible for maintenance of Mansabdars and pay of soldiers

Sub-provincial Level

Sarkhar or District

• Subha divided into Sarkar or District
• Departments
  • Governed by Faujdar
    • Assisted & reported to Subadhars
  • Revenue admin by Amal Guzar
    • Assisted & reported to provincial Diwan
  • L & O by Faujdar
    • Ground duty by Kotwal assisting Faujdar
• Other officials
  • Kazhandahars – Treasury Officer

Paragana

• Sarkar divide into Paragana or Tehsil
• Departments
  • Governance & L & O – Shiqdhar
  • Revenue officials – Amin Quanungo (Record Keeper) & Fotahddhar

Village Level

• Tehsil divided into Villages
• Revenue – Patwari (VAO)
• Chaukidar – Watchmen
• Muqaddam – Headman

Legacy & Conclusion

• Provincial Administration – DOP & Federalism
• Revenue Administration – Patwari even now
• Benevolent Despot, yet backward in outlook
• Village Autonomy
• Merit System
• Codification and Compilation of records
  • Pioneer in Administration
  • Imp of Written communication – Modern B’y

Themes of FAQ

• Ethics in arthashastra
• Comparison b/w Weberian structure or bureaucratic model, Kautilyan practice, Gandhian rhetoric
• Political realism
• Written orders or communication
• Relevance of its principles in modern administration and principles that are used in modern times
• Relevance in IR & Foreign policy
• Was it theoretical/hypothetical/imaginary or real?

Summary

• Earlier political texts – moralistic, idealistic
• Arthasastra – pragmatic, realist, utilitarian, political realism, like an instruction manual to political problems and questions

It is real

• attention to detail
• elaborate organisational machinery
• detailed framework
• Maurya replaced the powerful Nandhas which even Alexander the Great failed
• Mauryan rule lasted for 300 years
• Largest empire ever

Science & Art

• Science – Universal theme, theory building, prescriptive nature & objective
• Art – subjective & experience based

Criticism

• Ends justify means
• harsh punishments
• Monarchical
• Highly centralized
• The state is built on checks & balances / mutual suspicion rather than trust & goodwill

Response to Criticism

• Context was different
  • volatility, uncertainty, confusion, ambiguity
  • Causes anarchy (Mathsyanyaya i.e during the chaos, when there is no ruler, the strong devour the weak, just as in periods of drought big fish eat small fish)
• Exaggeration of specific attributes
• Few attributes are taken out of context
• myopic understanding
• The basic philosophy is different

Basic Philosophy

• Good Governance – In the happiness of the subjects lies the happiness of the King
• King’s priority – Good Governance
  • Prajhahitha (subject’s interest)
  • to protect dharma can use Dhanda (force) but excessive, arbitrary or irrational dhanda can be pramatha (dangerous) bcos it provokes kopa (anger) and the public will get rid of the king just like an intoxicated elephant can be brought down by ants
  • If force is not used when required then it is allasya (inertia)[systems thory] and becomes Mathsyanyaya
  • provide Yogasema – Welfare approach i.e yoga – property Sema – security
  • The objective is Uriddi (Growth, advancement)
  • Rakshana & Palana (Protection & Maintenance)
• The single wheel does not move – so the state needs saptanga (7 elements)

Saptanga – 7 elements of state

• King – Raja
• Minister – Mantri or Amatya
• Treasury – Kosha
• People / Territory – Jana / Rashtra or Janapada
• Military – Bala or Danda
• Fort – Durga
• Friend – Mitra

Kings qualities

• Etha Raja – Dhata Praja – Subjects will behave as the king behaves
• Regularity of a clock, the energy of a Giant, the patience of a slave
• King is also subject to the law
  • constitutionalism
  • constitutional slave
  • Code of Conduct
  • King and servants are salaried – no whims & fancies
• Rule through utsahasakthi (motivation), Prabhu Sakthi (leadership), Manthra Sakthi (strategy)
• Disaster Management
  • 8 categories of calamities
  • compensate during loss when the army marches over the field
• Vijigishu – ambitious world conquerer

Ministers qualities

• The administration is a shared endeavour
• Min should provide – 3F = Free, frank, fair & 3A = Aid, advice, assistance
• Reflects synergy & symbiosis
• In modern times – CSL, LEJ, PM & COM, PD – Govt & Opposition, HQ & Field – Multi actor governance model
• King should ensure ministers of goal clarity, role clarity & loyalty to the state
  • Just like a bird’s flying path can’t be predicted. ministers’ intentions can’t be known
  • Similar to goal displacement in Weber’s B’y
• Detailed provisions for (like modern-day principles of management)
  • Recruitment
  • training
  • qualification
  • decoy test to judge morality, loyalty & integrity
  • Huge spy system (Vigilance & C&B)
  • separate department for different activities under an Athyaksha(superintendent)

Treasury

• Bureaucracy with money in hand is like fish in water – one can’t find if the fish is drinking or not
• 40 types of embezzlement (27 categories in the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988)
• So similar to modern-day Financial Management
• Collect taxes just like plucking fruits only when it is ripe
• Just like elephants are needed to capture elephants, money is needed to make money
• Mauryan State = Modern-day mixed economic state

Army

• Internal & external securities
• Vijigshu

Territory & people

• Rastra or Janapada (territory) without jana(people) is like a barren cow
• King can acquire territory but if he fails to gain public support then the territory is waste

Fort

• Reflection on security & defence

Friend

• Should be neither too strong nor weak
• Too strong – you will become his subordinate
• Too weak – you will fight his wars
• No permanent friend, no permanent enemies only permanent interest
• Mandala theory revolves around friendship

Mandala Theory – Circle of states

• Fundamental assumption
  • A geographical contiguous state is a natural enemy
  • King whose territory is contiguous to our enemy is an enemy of our enemy and hence our friend(Mitra)
  • Our enemy’s friend (Arimitra) is our enemy as well
• Four types of states
  • Vijigishu 
    • state that always looks for new territory – an ambitious world conqueror state
    • Such states should be thwarted
    • But you should be such a state
  • Ari 
    • Enemy Kingdom
    • Tries to create disturbances and conspiracies
    • Usually, the territory is adjacent to Vijigishu
    • Should be dealt with cautiously
  • Madhyama
    • Intermediary kingdom
    • May help or act against our kingdom depending on the circumstances
    • Befriend these kings
  • Udasina 
    • Neutral kingdom or Kingdom outside the neighbourhood
    • More powerful than that of Vijigishu, Ari, and Madhyama
• Shadguna or six-fold diplomatic policy – the recipe for a Vijigishu to become a world conquerorSandhi advice for weaker state vis-a-via stronger state make peace with states stronger than youVigrahaadvice for stronger state vis-a-via weaker state policy of hostility Defensive Offensive Based on CB analysis – Yana(seize) or Sandhi(peace)AsanaWhen the enemy is as strong as you keep quite till the enemy gets weaker and attack, Try to weaken through the proxy war as well the enemy is weak during an internal crisis or external war
  • Yana
    • when you are stronger than enemy
    • March or Expedition or Vigraha when you are sure of conquest
  • Sansraya
    • When you are under threat and weaker than your enemy
    • seeking shelter with another king to protect themselves – NATO
  • Dvaidhibhava
    • when you are strong enough to fight but need an ally to win
    • The double policy of Sandhi with one king and Vigraha with another at the same time

Instruments with Kings to overcome opposition

• Sama – Power of persuasion
• Dama – Incentives or gifts
• Danda – Punishments or force
• Bheda – exploiting the weakness while knowing it beforehand

Contemporary relevance of Arthashastra or Conclusion

• Comprehensive coverage
  • Macro + Micro = Holistic Text (Devil is in the detail)
  • Normative & positivist content
• Analytical, Rational, realistic understanding of Human Behaviour
• Resembles contemporary Fin Mgmt, HRM, Principles of Mgmt, motivation theory, leadership, decision making, comminication, SOP
• Strategic Thinking – SWOT & OODA loop (observe–orient–decide–act) or SIDA (sense-interpret-decide-act)
• Mathsyanya due to Alasya pramadaha – Systems Theory – all org move towards destruction
• Saptanga – weber’s bureaucratic model, federalism, LEJ, coalition
• Constitutionalism – King as constitutional slave
• Good Governance
• Spy System – C&B, detection & neutralising threats & capitalising of opportunities
• Foreign Policy & IR – Mandala Theory
  • Sansraya – Indo–Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation – 1971
  • Good relation with Afganistan & Iran (neighbours of Paksitan) and Mongolia, korea & Japan (neighbours of China)