This chapter explores key concepts of justice in war in the main strands of Hindu literature on politics: the dharma literature, the Arthashastra (or statecraft) and the animal fables known as the Pancatantra. The chapter ends with a section about the uses of classical Hindu concepts of justice and war in the struggle for independence from British colonial power.

This chapter looks at the thinking and practice of international relations and world order in pre-Muslim India. It opens by setting India’s geopolitical context. In terms of thinking it covers Kautilya’s Arthashastra, Ashoka’s Dharma, and the ontology and epistemology of India’s epic literature. In terms of practice, it covers the Mahajanapadas and the peaceful spread of Indian culture.

This chapter addresses five difficulties in our approach: how to handle the close link between the discipline of IR that we now have and the period of Western world dominance; does culture matter in international relations or is it all materialism?; how ‘Western’ is modern IR?; Can ancient and modern concepts and practices be equated?; Empires versus states, and how to differentiate inside and outside.