The Kautilyan Statecraft for Combating Insurgency in Northeast India

The renowned ancient Indian scholar and strategist Kautilya, also referred to as Chanakya, articulated four foundational principles of statecraft—Sham, Dam, Danda, and Bhed—in his influential text, the Arthaśāstra or simply Arthashastra. These principles continue to hold relevance in comprehending the intricacies of governance, diplomacy, and conflict resolution, especially within complex societies.

1. Sham (Persuasion): This principle focuses on the importance of dialogue, negotiation and conciliation to achieve desired outcomes. It highlights the necessity of resolving conflicts through understanding and collaboration, promoting stability without the use of force. In the realm of governance, sham acts as the initial approach to conflict resolution, prioritising peaceful diplomatic solutions.
   
   
2. Dam (Monetary Incentive): Dam pertains to leveraging economic incentives or rewards to gain the support of opponents or allies. This strategy acknowledges the influence of material benefits on behaviour. By offering financial assistance or advantages, a state can foster loyalty, ease tensions, or strengthen alliances, thereby avoiding direct confrontations.
   
   
3. Danda (Punishment or Force): Danda signifies the application of power or punitive actions to ensure compliance and maintain order. This principle advocates for a decisive response when persuasion and incentives prove ineffective, safeguarding the state’s authority against defiance. It emphasises the necessity of balancing justice with discipline.
   
   
4. Bhed (Division or Diplomacy of Disunity): Bhed involves the tactic of sowing discord among adversaries to diminish their collective power. By capitalising on internal strife or differences, a state can thwart potential threats from uniting against it. This principle underscores the importance of intelligence and psychological tactics in the art of statecraft.

Then we have the Upayas: this is a general term for the four approaches to conflict resolution: Sam, Dana, Danda, and Bheda. 

Subir Bhaumik*, in The Northeast: A Thousand Assertive Ethnicities, stressed Kautilya’s principles to shed light on how governments have maneuvered through the complex ethnic and political dynamics of India’s Northeast. These principles have been used, according to Bhaumik, in varying mix to control and contain the violent movements in the Northeast. He demonstrates the application of sham, dam, danda, and bhed—often in contentious ways—to address ethnic ambitions, insurgencies, and governance issues, emphasising their lasting significance in New Delhi’s nation-building project.

⇀ Aristotle :: Alexander

⇀ Kautilya :: Chadragupta

⇒ Kautilya was the man who guided Chandragupta** build India’s first trans-regional empire just after Alexander’s invasion

Sidenote

* Subir Bhaumik, a senior fellow with the Centre for Studies in International Relations & Development (CSIRD), is a former BBC correspondent and the author of Insurgent Crossfire and Troubled Periphery: Crisis of India’s Northeast.

** Chandragupta (340–297BCE) and India are a contradiction. His empire included only present-day North India excluding the Leh region, Pakistan and the western stretch of Bangladesh. India was built by the Muslims and the British, and continued by the nationalists in the mainland.