THE devastating impacts of global wars have altered the priorities and interests of nations. Global powers are reshaping the planet’s politics, economics and cultures according to their ideologies. Despite these changes, there is still great hope and a promising future for knowledge and technology transfer across countries and regions to sustain creativity, innovations and democracies globally.
Knowledge and technology transferred through mutual diplomacy and relationships between nations would have a cumulative impact on the economies and defense capabilities of countries. Scientific knowledge and technologies have been the most effective tools in building economic and defense superpowers. Public good and the freedom of nations have been the priority and key purpose of every such diplomatic endeavour. Knowledge and technology transfer through specialized, skilled diplomats and technocrats results in rapid economic growth and democratic and evolutionary changes in cultures and traditions. Developed infrastructure and advanced technology promote equal changes in traditional trends and remove blockades to evolutionary and democratic values. In the future, the AI revolution in all sectors of life and industry will advance cultural changes at an exponential speed. Pakistan could reframe and redesign its social and science policies by advancing skills of science diplomats and technocrats for more effective results.
In some countries, diplomatic and technocratic trends have been centralized within their own states rather than hiring them in foreign countries. Most expert diplomats and technocrats perform their best in diplomatic efforts by remaining within their own country’s foreign offices. Science diplomacy is also used to bridge gaps between nations through economic and cultural means. The global diplomatic culture amalgamations would promote new and latest scientific ideas and their solutions globally in a more effective way. This approach would foster a culture of innovation and creativity, promoting democratic values more effectively than any other method. By acquiring advanced knowledge and technology from developed nations through brain drain and brain gain processes and sharing the cultural and creative values of both nations, friendly nations would benefit from shared ideologies and technologies.
An important factor to consider when establishing diplomatic ties with nations is that these powers establish and promote such ties with friendly nations or colonies to maintain and derive natural benefits from each other’s talents and products. The most beneficial impact of such diplomatic ties would be that friendly colonial states would flourish in innovative and democratic frontiers, raising their democratic and innovative indices, potentially making them original superpowers through coalitions. Sometimes, technologically emerging states could become a threat to neighbouring countries due to their possession of superpowers
However, acquiring technologies like commercial satellites, GPS technology, remote sensing, weather data technologies and internet data transfer can improve military and strategic circumstances, navigation and intelligence. This is the most effective way of maintaining and governing rule in friendly states. Better science diplomats and technocrats could also advance the battlefield, but with the modern era of weapon industries, technology has transformed the battlefield into high ground or space wars. Latest missile systems established in satellites can target and paralyze rival armies. Similarly, long-range and high-ground weapons like ballistic and cruise missiles could be more effective in ground and space wars.
Nations possessing such modern weapon systems would have advantages over those that do not acquire such technologies. Strategically advanced nations have privileges over weaker ones in this new era of global hegemony. There are more chances of possession of modern weapons by other nations across regions due to the recent global spread of scientific information and knowledge via the internet. The availability of sophisticated knowledge and information allows many nations to develop their own defence and communication systems more effectively. Historically, the USA, Europe and Japan have been hubs of scientific research and development. Recently, China and India have become the most rapidly growing research and development hubs on the planet. Now, they have their own developed nuclear, space, brain technology and other defence and strategic programs.
China has acquired cyber technology and their military strategies have developed AI software to target cyber wars. Software power could be the main force of an enemy army by paralyzing their advancements in war-targeted regions, thus occupying territories from opposite forces. Such war forces using computer viruses have a more effective and dangerous impact on rivals than even nuclear technologies. To counter such attacks, developing more sophisticated cyber systems using AI could maintain the balance of power, national security, integrity and ideological systems for the long term. Superpowers with sophisticated cyber warfare systems could have weapon systems like ballistic cruise missiles and long-range missile systems with space-to-ground targets, controlled from modern command centres on the ground.
These sophisticated weapon systems could be used to compete for resources in outer space, from meteorites to other planets and from deep oceans. Nations having such strategic and defence systems would have an advantage over those that do not possess such systems. Major nations prefer their more skilful diplomats for better diplomacy to transfer knowledge and strategic technology from superpower countries. The second largest and most crucial goal for a country is to benefit from better diplomacy by successfully importing energy resources like oil, gas, coal and solar panel systems.
Historically, energy resources have played a crucial role in diplomacy and in establishing friendly economic colonies worldwide. Powers with such resources have maintained their hegemony and order through their energy resources, establishing economic colonies around the globe. Nations that maintained good and friendly relationships with global powers also benefited from these energy resources, flourishing quickly into regional economic and strategic powers.
For example, Britain ruled the globe due to the invention of coal and the steam engine, which became a rich industry in the form of railways powered by steam engines. The British Kingdom explored the globe for other resources to sustain their hegemonic power due to this industry. After the invention of oil refineries for producing and refining crude oil from other regions, also the creation and production of atomic and nuclear technology by the American scientists, the global superpower shifted from Britain to America. The industries of oil, gas and nuclear energy played a significant role in making America a global superpower with a new world order. Due to their energy resources, global diplomatic policies were reshaped in the 20th century.
The advent of solar panels, renewable energy, AI, and lithium-ion batteries, which have the potential to replace industries reliant on petroleum, is positioning China as a dominant force in global energy markets. This transition is driving a shift in power towards nations with cutting-edge technologies and advanced knowledge. As the world realigns, the demand for skilled scientific manpower from underutilized regions in Asia and Africa will rise, providing crucial support to future superpowers. Recent global conflicts indicate that control over these advanced energy resources and AI systems are reshaping the world order. The BRICS bloc’s efforts to challenge dollar-based economies underscore the shifting global influence towards nations with superior technologies and energy capabilities. In this evolving scenario, Pakistan could greatly benefit by prioritizing science diplomacy and building strong, strategic ties with resource-rich countries in Asia and technologically advanced nations in Europe and America, enhancing its role in the emerging global landscape.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in London.
