Politics and administration or administrative politics in ancient India is dealt with in मनुस्मृति and अग्नि पुराण . A very brief summary of it is given below:

The King should organise six kinds of army formations, worship the देवस् duly and then set out for war. मूलबल , भूतबल , श्रेणीबल , सुहृद्बल , शत्रुबल and आटविकबल are the six kinds of army formations. The list is given in order of the comparative importance of the बल . The army has six parts that is, मन्त्र (advisers), कोष (treasury), पदाति (infantry), तुरग (Cavalry), गज (elephant) and रथ (chariot).

If an attack is feared either against the forts or across rivers or trenches, the army should be marched for their protection. The Army Chieftains surrounded by mighty warriors should lead the divisions. The King and his wife should be at the centre of the army-division along with the treasury and first class soldiers. On both sides of the King should march the cavalry and the chariots should form the farther wings. Elephants should proceed on the two sides of the chariot and soldiers recruited from forests must march on the sides of the elephants. The supreme commander will march behind all the others guiding the army.

If there is cause for fear in front of the army during the march, three व्यूहस् (Phalanxes) मकर , श्येन or सूची should be put in the Vanguard. The शकट व्यूह is more suited to meet an attack from behind. If attack is feared from the flanks then also the शकटव्यूह is advisable. When attack from all the sides is feared सर्वतोभद्रव्यूह is indicated. It is the duty of the Supreme Commander to safe-guard his army and suppress reactionary forces whenever the army gets weakened, when it marches through caves, mountains or rocks or other difficult terrain or weakened by the persistent attacks of the enemy.

When the time, place and the people's attitude are favourable, the King should engage himself in open war with the enemy, and if they are unfavourable he shall not go in for war. If confrontation with the enemy occurs under circumstances in which the King is visible to the enemy, powerful divisions of the army consisting of warriors of great calibre should be stationed either at the front or in the rear.

In the formation of व्यूहस् (phalanx) there are seven factors called उरस् (breast), कक्षस् (arm-pits), two पक्षस् (sides), two मध्यस् (centre) and पृष्ठ (rear). The commanders should be surrounded by bold soldiers. The leader is the very life of the war. At the उरस् of the व्यूह powerful elephants, at the कक्षस् chariots and at the पक्षस् cavalry should be stationed. This is called पक्षभेदिव्यूह . If at the centre cavalry and at कक्षस् and पक्षस् elephants are stationed, it is called अन्तर्भेदिव्यूह . If there are no chariots, cavalry or infantry may be put in their place. Certain authorities maintain that in every व्यूह elephants may be stationed in the place of chariots, if chariots are not available. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 242) .