Published Online:October 2026
Product Name:The IUP Journal of International Relations
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJIR031026
DOI:10.71329/IUPJIR/2026.20.4.44-63
Author Name:Keshav Sankar J
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Arts and Humanities
Download Format:PDF
Pages:44-63
The paper seeks to provide a qualitative comparative analysis of two well-known political realist theorists, Kautilya (Chanakya) and Niccolò Machiavelli, with reference to statecraft. The study focuses on power, administration, diplomacy, deception, morality, and procedures, balancing power and exercising authority, drawing on Kautilya’s ancient political text, the Arthashastra, and Machiavelli’s political text, The Prince. Important shared pragmatic themes, as well as cultural and ethical complexities in both Kautilya and Machiavelli, are explored. The examination of Kautilya and Machiavelli’s thoughts is further situated within the broader realist tradition in International Relations (IR), with a special focus on their applicability in contemporary strategy in relation to India, specifically in terms of neighborhood diplomacy and relations. The study shows that Kautilya and Machiavelli may support realpolitik that is based on national interest, and the security of the state. Kautilya emphasized moral principles and a broader governance of the state, while Machiavelli promoted practical power politics. Indeed, many of Kautilya’s principles of strategy, for example, the enemy’s enemy is my friend, to name one, are very much commonplace principles of approach in today’s foreign policy. Overall, this paper suggests the lasting nature of realist statecraft as defined by Kautilya and Machiavelli, with its implications for international relations today.
Both Kautilya and Machiavelli are often regarded as pioneers of political realism, offering pragmatic advice on ruling and inter-state relations that remain relevant today.1 Kautilya, also known as Chanakya, authored The Arthashastra (c. 300 BCE) in ancient India—a comprehensive treatise on governance, war, and diplomacy. A product of Renaissance Italy, two thousand years later, Machiavelli wrote The Prince (1532) as a treatise to help rulers gain and retain power.