Conduct and strategy of war has always been shaped by technological advancement. As the Technology advances, wars seem to resemble less and less with previous ones and yet other factors such as leadership, human factors, political compulsions alliances and diplomacy remains the same. It is therefore eminent that the modern strategists draw lessons from the classical works on war. Traditionally, long term strategy is associated exclusively to military strategy. The father of modern strategic studies – Gen Carl von Clauzwitz defines strategy as use of combat for the purpose of war. Moltae , Associates strategy to the ability to adapt to the resources made available to the General for the achievement of the good. Sun Tzu wrote – Art of war about 2500 years ago says – The Art of war is of vital importance to the states. It is matter of life and death, a road, either to safety or ruin. Hence it is subject of enquiry which can on no account be neglected. While the work of Sun Tzu, Machilvelli, Clauzwitz are amongst the most studied by the strategic studies expert of the world, Kautilya‟s Arthatshastra, wrote in 4 th Century BC, and seems to be the most relevant even today. This Article purports to analyses the above stated work and its relevance.

Clauzwitz is essentially theater centric and talks about conduct of war. Sun Tzu deals with higher level of work that includes diplomacy – before, during and after the war.

“Do not allow your enemies to get together.”

“…..look into the matter of his alliances and caused them to be served and dissolved.”

Thus Sun Tzu is more strategic in nature. But both agree that war is to serve political purpose. While Clauzwitz says – War is politics with other means for SunTzu – ideal military leader is he who holds his personal interest in abeyance and serves political leaders and political purpose. Machiavelli deals with less with warfare and more with state craft. Kautilya is truly a grand strategist. He covers entire spectrum from running a state to organization of army, foreign policy to intelligence gathering.

Methodologically, ClauszWitz is more analytical, logical. Art of war is like succinct guide, as SunTzu recognizes that staggering complexity of war precludes shape and course thru mechanical applications of principles. Price of Machiavelli deals with behavior of the leader, diplomacy, world order thru the lens of realism. For him end justifies the means. Arthashastra deals with a much wider canvass with extra-ordinary analytical precisions, blended uncertainty and complexity beyond the limitations of time and space.

International Relations (IR)–

For Clauzwitz and Sun Tzu both political master are in command of war and politics is the objective of war, although Clauzwitz is much more reductionist. Machavelli deals with 5 basic principles of IR –

1. Prevent foreign power from getting involved

2. One must either live within or colonized conquered territory

3. One must exert the power on the other nations.

4. One must ally the neighboring lesser.

5. One must always look at future and emerging threats.

“Prince must have different approaches towards different foreign conquered territories.” However, Kautilya‟s contribution is much more relevant and robust than the others. He talks about –

1. Making peace when relative decline.

2. Waging war when enemy shall attack.

3. Staying quite when neither are likely to harm other.

4. Preparing for war by augmenting one‟s own power.

5. Seeking support by getting protection of another.

6. Dual policy with different states.

Perhaps the most important contribution of Kautilya in this context is the well-known “Rajmandala Concept”

Treaties, Diplomacy and winning without war –

To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence. It consist in breaking the enemy‟s resistance without fighting. – says Sun Tzu

Mechavelli is concerned with security against external threats and internal disharmony. For him, there are two ways of contesting – ONE by law and OTHER by force. The Prince is always to conquer and expand.

For Kautilya, if one has the army, once ally remains friendly and even enemies remains friendly. Both Kautilya and Mechavelli, did not think treaties as binding. Mechavelli states – rise from low conditions to high conditions, rank without employing either force or fraud but by breaking treaties.

For Kautilya it is good to have allies as long as there is self-interest. He says – one keeps ally not because it is goodwill or moral obligation but because one is strong and advance one‟s own selfinterest.

Diplomacy is described as a subtle act of war. If challenged by alliance of nations, a king should secretly sow dissention within the alliance until one or more parties in alliance becomes weak and they violate the treaty.

Kautilya‟s writings are most relevant in explaining the outcome of World War II –

1. Did Germany expand without understanding Grand Strategic Perspective?

2. Why did Germany ally with Italy and Japan? And kept their alliance for too long?

3. Why did he attack USSR, despite the treaty?

4. How did Churchill bring USA in to the war?

5. Why did Pearl Harbor happen despite USA being a strong Nation?

6. Why McArthur had to stop in Korea?

One finds answers to these questions and the results in deeper understanding of Grand Strategic View rather than theatric view.

Today, the world is getting increasingly inter-connected. System has emergent behavior. Complex nature of responses is causing Lawrence Effect. Anything happening in any part of the world would have a profound effect at any other remote corner.. This causes ambiguity, uncertainty and volatility. Thus Security has no longer confined to the borders.

This paradigm necessitates looking at Security in integrated manner.

Kautilya describes state craft and intelligence gathering so relevant today in the age of asymmetric Warfare. His description of running the welfare state along with covert operations explain the ways, we could treat Maoism today. Psychological warfare is what would explain and support war against terror.

Integrated security including non-traditional security threats would require a Grand Strategic Approach. Kautilya seems to be ever more relevant today

References –

1. Kautilya, the Arthashastra – By L.N.Rangarajan

2. Carl van Clauzwitz on War – By Anatol Rapoport

3. Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince – By Leo Paul S. de Alvarez

4. Sun Tzu, the Art of War - By James clavell.

5. Reshaping the Future – By Pannicia Arduino

6. Michel Handel – US Navy war College