मित्रमित्रमरेश्चापि मित्रमित्रेण वारयेत् ॥ कZ_०७.१३.४०च्द् ॥
mitramitram areś cāpi mitramitreṇa vārayet
Gayundin, dapat pigilan ang kaalyado ng kaaway (at mga kaugnay na pagkakahanay) sa pamamagitan ng kaalyado ng kaalyado.
Kautilya recommends operating through second-order relationships (friends-of-friends) to contain hostile coalitions without direct escalation.