Redefining diplomacy

Diplomacy, as we know it, is the art of negotiation of topical issues by professionals to benefit the polity, society and economy of the parent nation. However, in the present-day co-evolution of technology and the increasing globalisation through the internet, there has been a complete paradigm shift in our myopic view of institutionalism and its impact on international relations. This data flow has redefined the international landscape and brought about a foundational change, which in turn has presented challenges for individuals, organisations and states.

Thus, in today’s times, international relations and the internet boom share a symbiotic space. Sovereign states evolved slowly since the 17th century and in just a decade or two, the transnational cyberspace has seen bold and rapid growth. In this epoch-defining transition, governments must update policies to enhance and streamline communication.

International public relations are relying heavily on big data and there are new arenas for both cooperation and conflict. Ido Aharoni, Israel’s former Consul General in New York said,” Adiplomatic service that is stuck in the mind-frame of broadcasting ...will be quick to lose its value”. Communication, one of the main parameters of efficient IR, must be mastered by ministries of foreign affairs. Effective online communication has become an important appendix of diplomacy in the present day , however , the downside is that social media platforms like  Twitter amplify even the smallest misstep-Trump’s  admonishing of the secretary of state on Twitter is just one of the many dimensions of digitalisation and its cascading effect on the US allies and hostile states.

Dr Javon Kurbalija thinks that this information flow and data mining could make diplomatic reporting even more effective and information could be used as a weapon. In my opinion, this could also have hazardous repercussionsas small leaks can potentially cause tremendous emergencies and human negotiations and diplomacy skills to subvert and deflect these would require herculean efforts.

In the old order of diplomacy, territorial disputes, the Cold War, various conventions and UN regulations defined and contained disputes. However, cyber territory disputes are making jurisdictions less clear. The on going allegations of Russian interference in the American Presidential election are an example of political subterfuge through social media. The recent Indian parliamentary elections saw platforms for sabotage and allegations of fake news stories to tarnish the international reputation of the Prime Minister and Facebook and Twitter were extensively used to fan communal hatred. It was allegedthat these were largely funded by foreign intelligence agencies who did not want a stable government in India. Wikileaks is another example of this new age cyber warfare. While the US has banned Huawei , the visit of Eric Schmidt of Google to North Korea,( a country with no formal relations with the US) and Mark Zuckerberg’s pampering of India, one of its largest markets and his outreach and lobbying with  China are setting new benchmarks for international diplomacy wherein foreign policies , politics and economics have to move in tandem .Countries will have to rework international laws. This new class of tech-diplomats form the other traditional non-state players which compete with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs to influence important policy decisions and the diplomatic community , an intellectual elite that did not mix with businessmen , is now inclined to embrace these tech giants who are unofficial ambassadors and canvoice their opinion freely -independent of their governments.

Espionage and embassies housing foreign agents is a relic of the past. Today, with the high-tech cyber security apparatus and the extensive use of drones for data collection now available at home, it is impossible to prosecute under international law. These are new challenges for defence diplomats for whom protecting data is equivalent to what protecting natural resources was. Huge investments are being made in this field to coordinate a safety mechanism for inter-state conflicts. MFAs have to become more adept at handling technology and networking with transnational companies and liaison between business to government and government to government disputes and relations.

Th recent grant of access to Huawei by UK to its non-core networks has put the 5-eye agreement into a spin. President Trump is contemplating curbing int-sharing with UK. The firing of the UK Defence Minister over an alleged leak over Huawei, is indicative of the power of digitalisation in international relations. Vodafone has warned that delaying 5G could cost countries billions of dollars in the long run. In this situation, financial losses outweigh the alienation of powerful allies and thus the messy trade wars are defining and impacting political dynamics in global trade.Thus, the black-balling of Huawei by America seems more like inflicting damage to China rather than asking it to make policy changes. These trade wars are a diplomacy to disentangle the Chinese economy globally.

During the Cold War,supply chains were restricted to territories-economic containment in this diplomatic scenario is not only staggeringly difficult but it even poses the threat of breaking global supply chains linked through the internet. They could even mark the end of the shared global community.Thus, economic logic and political populism are defining this gen-next global diplomacy,

The widespread reach of power and its natural twin -politics -are a new reality in which digital interactions are evolving faster than the tools to regulate it. International and digital realms are inextricably linked and are evolving together to reshape longstanding global structures of governance and cooperation