ABSTRACT
During the mid-nineteenth century, Baluchistan essentially comprised the feudal state of Khelat and a number of smaller provinces. In the process, Robert Sandeman would not only coin a phrase familiar to both students and practitioners of irregular warfare, but would simultaneously develop a philosophy of tribal administration that, while bringing him renown and influence during his tenure there, would prove a severe headache for frontier policy-makers over the course of the subsequent six decades. Sandeman was fortunate that his burgeoning 'Political' career, which had gained momentum during the 1860s, was to coincide with some fundamental changes in Political administration, both at home in Britain and subsequently in India itself. The primary consequence of military defeat in the First Anglo-Afghan War had been a firm rejection of any notion of a forward policy beyond the recognized borders of India. The Government of India was interested in conserving and husbanding its financial resources rather than seeking new outlets for expenditure.
