5. Forging the Digital Autonomy

This chapter conceptualizes digital autonomy as the strategic foundation of Sovereignty 2.0 in the emerging technopolar world order. Departing from the classical Westphalian model that prioritized territorial control, digital autonomy emphasizes a state’s ability to act independently and effectively within a technologically interconnected environment. It is not a retreat from global engagement, but a recalibration of interdependence on sovereign terms. Crucially, digital autonomy addresses the structural inequities of the global digital landscape, where access to advanced technologies remains highly asymmetrical. Such digital asymmetry renders many states dependent on foreign infrastructure, vulnerable to surveillance, and excluded from norm-setting processes. The chapter outlines three interlinked pillars that structure digital autonomy: Presence, the development of domestic digital infrastructures and sovereign technological capacity; Practice, the normative ability to regulate data, enforce ethical standards, and assert digital jurisdiction; and Resilience, the strategic durability to withstand coercion, cyberthreats, and systemic shocks. Together, these dimensions offer states a coherent framework to secure agency in a world dominated by technological mediation. As global powers grapple with the challenges of digital dependence and competition, this chapter asserts that digital autonomy is no longer optional—it is an essential condition for national sovereignty, economic security, and democratic legitimacy in the twenty-first century.