Digital Diplomacy When digits become diplomats – À.J. Philip

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has discovered a new branch of diplomacy: arithmetic. Neither Chanakya nor Machiavelli, the legendary strategists of statecraft, could have imagined diplomacy conducted through the arithmetic of birthdays.

Surely, this qualifies Narendra Modi for a medal that the United Nations may now have to institute exclusively for achievements in numerical diplomacy. He has won so many medals that it did not matter that the latest one conferred on him by Seychelles reportedly had the country’s name spelt wrong.

In Indonesia, he delivered what may well become a landmark speech in the history of numerology. He pointed out that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s birthday adds up to 8: 17 becomes 1+7=8. Then he noted that India’s Republic Day falls on the 26th, and 2+6 also equals 8. A beautiful mathematical bridge between the two nations! Rather, civilisations!

Such was his modesty that he did not add that his own birthday is on the 17th, which also reduces to 8. That would have completed the triangle.

This opens up fascinating possibilities for future state visits.

Imagine him sharing the stage with Donald Trump. He could observe that Trump’s birthday falls on the 14th, which becomes 1+4=5.

Since mentioning Jawaharlal Nehru is unlikely to be politically fashionable, he may avoid pointing out that Nehru’s birthday, November 14, also comes to 5. Instead, he could safely note that President S. Radhakrishnan’s birthday, September 5, also gives us the magical number 5. Alternatively, Modi can also mention that he is the 14th (1+4=5) Prime Minister.

With a little effort, every diplomatic relationship can now be reduced to a single digit. Foreign policy will no longer require history, economics, or geopolitics—just a calculator and a willingness to keep adding.

One wonders whether the Ministry of External Affairs should appoint a Chief Numerology Officer. State visits could be planned according to compatible digits, and treaties might be signed only after confirming that the dates add up correctly.

As for speeches, perhaps the next one will reveal that the number of letters in “friendship,” multiplied by the number of cups of tea served at the banquet, divided by the number of handshakes exchanged, also points to a profound civilisational bond.

Shakespeare lamented, “What a piece of work is a man!” Today, one is tempted to adapt another famous line:

What a fall, my countrymen!