State and Government in Ancient India c23.s2.t3.4

c23.s2.t3.4

The foreign minister figures in several Gupta records; he however appears under a new name Mahāsandhivigrahika, which is no doubt more majestic than the old title Dūta. He worked in close cooperation with the military department. He must have been the busiest minister in the early Gupta period when Samudragupta and Chandragupta were planning their campaigns in the north, the south and the west. Which kingdoms were to be annexed and which were to be permitted to remain in the feudatory status was to be determined by this department. Mahāsandhivigrahika had several Sandhivigrahikas under him to assist him in the work.