ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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Summary and Recommendations 239 Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) are two major international initiatives that have recently inducted India. This is recognition of India’s technology maturity and its capacity to contribute to international initiatives. Similar initiatives may be possible in renewable energy, health and education sectors and of course, in mitigating global warming—a major problem for all humanity. Apart from preparations for forging an international understanding on how to deal with such problems, there are major opportunities for international collaboration in a variety of areas that are science or technology based. Clean coal technologies, carbon sequestration, solar power technologies, power from wastes, small hydro-power technologies, refrigeration technologies, international monitoring of the greenhouse effect and the ozone layer are some areas of energy and environment in which external policies have a critical role, in seeking appropriate external partners for Indian interests. The subject of alignment of foreign policy with national interest is too vast to be discussed in a single chapter of a book. For instance, there are many areas of cooperation in agriculture, education and the entertainment industry where the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) can be a catalyst for well-planned collaboration between Indian institutions and suitable overseas players for mutual benefit, and the process itself can enhance India’s image in the world. For the sake of keeping focus on national security and national power-related issues, due justice has not been possible on all other issues of national interest in the limited scope of this book. Soft Power Another important area of international relations is the use of smart power for best gains for the country. This is a judicious balance of hard power and soft power projections in the international arena. It is crucial in today’s knowledge world where a mix of persuasion, coercion and deterrence must be used in I.R. to achieve foreign policy objectives. In contemporary international relations, there is a renewed interest in the potential of soft power in countries like China and India, which were traditionally known for their respective cultural heritage. India has not been very successful in leveraging soft power in its neighbourhood, except for the natural popularity of its Bollywood products. In this context, Indian foreign policy experts need to rework soft power strategies to tap their maximum potential and help India achieve larger goodwill and regional influence, to complement its economic and strategic rise in international affairs. The recent ‘Incredible India’
240 Role of Technology in International Affairs advertisement drive is indeed a step in the right direction to attract tourism— which attempts to build the right image of cultural India. India has several areas of strength that can be used innovatively for soft power projection, particularly in its neighbourhood. India’s strength in ICT and vast population of knowledge workers is a major asset that can help smaller neighbours in their pursuit of economic progress. India can easily become a regional hub for education and skill development in the modern electronic age. India is already emerging as a preferred R&D centre for many multinational technology corporations and structured S&T cooperation can be a major instrument of soft power projection. Cultural exchanges are known for promoting greater regional harmony, while human quality development via yoga and meditation is yet another field where India can become a world class leader. Affordable healthcare for overseas patients and providing medical or nursing education for developing nations can promote unique Indian expertise worldwide. Cooperation in agricultural advances and water preservation can be very important for addressing regional problems. Likewise, cooperation for energy conservation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction are going to become very important for mitigating global warming. Regional cooperative strategies for adaptation to unavoidable climate changes and for addressing regional natural calamities are yet another set of environmental initiatives that a country like India must take. All this can add immensely to the soft power of India, but there is no national policy or diplomatic priority given to this vast soft power potential. The role of S&T in exercising India’s soft power can be pivotal if it is well-planned as a policy push. Use of digital technology and the internet for social media interactions is a new powerful tool for public diplomacy. It has opened up enormous potential for a free and transparent mechanism that Indian diplomats should use, for leveraging India’s soft power worldwide and some of it is indeed already happening. In 2012, the Indian Embassy in Cairo marked the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the anniversary of Arab Spring by hosting a poster contest which in turn was widely publicised via social media, on the topic ‘Did you sense the spirit of Gandhi in Tahrir Square?’ It drew responses not only from Egypt and India but also from several other African countries, thus, succeeding in integrating the most recognisable Indian icon with the most important political event in the region. The contest was India’s way of saluting the Gandhian spirit of the Tahrir Square revolutionaries.
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Acknowledgements As a defence techn
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PART I Role of Science and Technolo
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3 Defence Technologies: Game Change
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Defence Technologies: Game Changers
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Outer Space and International Affai
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Cyber Space and International Affai
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6 Climate Change and International
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Climate Change and International Re
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ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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