Social Media as A Challenge to Traditional Indian Diplomacy A Medium of Communication or A Mode of Diplomacy?

Authors

  • Loveleena Sharma Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), New Delhi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54945/jjia.v4i1.78

Keywords:

Indian Diplomacy, Social Media, Twitter, Digital Diplomacy

Abstract

Diplomacy has witnessed several ontological and methodological alterations with the emergence of technological revolution, thus marking the advent of social media. This paper traces the vicissitudes brought in by social media, especially Twitter on the diplomatic plane. It examines these modifications at two levels: structural and individual, using the case of Indian diplomacy. At the structural level, it discusses the transition in the mode of communication; emergence of multiple actors and the transformation of diplomatic approach. At the individual level, it focuses on the shift in the role of political leaders, such as the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in diplomatic affairs. Furthermore, it addresses the overarching debate of digital diplomacy being a division of diplomacy or social media being a medium of communication of the traditional Indian diplomacy. Against the popular belief, this paper asserts that although social media is an influential communicative tool affecting Indian diplomatic dynamics profoundly, it is not a separate mode of diplomacy altogether.

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Author Biography

Loveleena Sharma, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), New Delhi

Loveleena Sharma is currently working as a Program Associate at Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). Prior to this, she was a commissioning editor at E-International Relations. She worked as a contributing editor on two books for E-International Relations Publications, namely, International Relations and International Relations Theory: A Practical Introduction. She has widely published works, including blogs, articles and policy briefs focusing on national and international issues. She has done her Masters in International Relations from the South Asian University. She was previously a YFFP-Jindal Foreign Policy Fellow at Jindal School of International Affairs.

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Published

2016-10-01

How to Cite

Sharma, L. (2016). Social Media as A Challenge to Traditional Indian Diplomacy A Medium of Communication or A Mode of Diplomacy?. Jindal Journal of International Affairs, 4(1), 102–118. https://doi.org/10.54945/jjia.v4i1.78

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2016)

Section

Articles
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Scopus
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Europe PMC

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