Which ancient Indian text is a treatise on statecraft attributed to Chanakya?

The ancient Indian text that is a treatise on statecraft attributed to Chanakya is the Arthashastra.

Written in Sanskrit, the Arthashastra discusses government, law, taxation, diplomacy, economic policy, espionage, military strategy, and the duties of a king. Its title is often translated as “treatise on statecraft” or “the science of wealth,” because the Sanskrit word artha covers political power, material prosperity, and practical objectives.

Tradition identifies Kautilya, also known as Chanakya or Vishnugupta, as its author and associates him with Chandragupta Maurya’s rise in the fourth century BCE. Modern scholars, however, consider the surviving work a compilation that was edited and expanded over several centuries, with layers possibly dating from the second century BCE to the third century CE.

A common mix-up is confusing it with the Manusmriti, which focuses more heavily on social and religious law, or the Kamasutra, which concerns love and relationships. The Arthashastra is best understood as a practical manual for running a state, including both administration and warfare.