Information Revolution and Growing Power of Communication: A Foundation of New Diplomacy

Information and communication technology strategy can be said to have emerged as a road map for capitalizing on the use of information and technology as a key enabler of the government’s transformation in the realms of new diplomacy. The recent information and communication technological development, in both developed and developing countries, has increased the high-speed interactive digital network for multilingual voice, video, print, data communication worldwide, revolutionizing how nation states communicate with one another in the international system. There is no doubt that in the contemporary international system information technology (IT) is fundamentally transforming the way we live, work, govern and communicate. The global digital network and the growing power of communication have created a new foundation of diplomacy in the international arena. Therefore, this article examines the sweeping changes in the global system, high-speed interactive network with adequate bandwidth for multilingual voice, video, print and data communication vis-à-vis the conduct of diplomacy in the twenty-first century. Furthermore, it should be emphasized that IT is as important as politics, economics and military power, information, communication skills and foreign policy are high national priorities in international relations. The introductory part of this article focuses on the concept of diplomacy and we further analyze the sweeping changes in IT and growing power of communication in the new millennium and the contribution of IT toward the development of diplomacy in the international system.