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VOL. 7, ISSUE 2 (2025)
Nation image building of ‘new India’: digital diaspora and foreign policy
Authors
Garima Nanda
Abstract
In this paper, the discussion will focus on how the digital diaspora
contributes to forming the international image of the ‘New India’ and how the
latter interacts with Indian foreign policy strategies. It seeks to understand
the role of online diasporic communities who act as informal ambassadors and
use digital mediums to help project, contest, and co-create the image of India
in the world. Through attention to the constructing narrative of ‘New India,’
this study critically evaluates the design of mutually constitutive nation
branding by the Indian government and its diaspora citizens across the world. This
paper seeks to argue that the Indian digital diaspora has become an important
instrument of soft power in the era of networked diplomacy. By solving social
media, online mobilization, and transnational communication, the diaspora not
only magnifies the voice of the state but also shapes foreign public opinion
and policymaking in host nations. Simultaneously, the ambivalences of the
diaspora discourse, particularly regarding nationalism, human rights, and
minority rights, create problems in the way of a coherent national image. The
study employs the qualitative approach, examining government policy reports,
diaspora online campaigns, and some case studies, which include International
Yoga Day, the story of Article 370 revocation, and COVID-19 diplomacy. It
establishes that although the digital diaspora plays a significant role in
increasing the visibility of India on the global landscape, the image of the
New India is multifaceted and conflicting as it emerges as a result of both
state-led diplomacy efforts and the agency of the diaspora.
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Pages:58-63
How to cite this article:
Garima Nanda "Nation image building of ‘new India’: digital diaspora and foreign policy". International Journal of Sociology and Political Science, Vol 7, Issue 2, 2025, Pages 58-63
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