मित्रमित्रमरेश्चापि मित्रमित्रेण वारयेत् ॥ कZ_०७.१३.४०च्द् ॥
mitramitram areś cāpi mitramitreṇa vārayet
وكذلك ينبغي كبحُ حليفِ العدوّ (وما يتصل به من اصطفافات) بواسطة حليفِ الحليف.
Kautilya recommends operating through second-order relationships (friends-of-friends) to contain hostile coalitions without direct escalation.