The article explores why indirect translation takes place, especially in contexts where policymakers work against it by, for example, not providing translation grants for such translations. The focus is on contemporary Sweden, and the article pays particular attention to arguments expressed in favor of indirect translation in a series of 11 books translated indirectly from Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Tamil or Urdu. It concludes by suggesting that cultural policies with more permissive criteria concerning indirectness of translation could be beneficial.