Chanakya's Arthashastra early model of economic statecraft: Economic Survey

Economic Survey 2026 cited Chanakya’s Arthashastra as an early systematic treatise on statecraft that integrates economic governance with political and strategic imperatives. The survey mentioned it while calling for the active use of “economic statecraft”, urging the government to strategically deploy economic tools to advance India’s foreign policy, national security and long-term interests.