Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Cohesion and co-operation: On power imbalances in BIMSTEC

Cohesion and co-operation: On power imbalances in BIMSTEC

India must assuage (शांत करना, राहत देना, कम करना) any apprehensions (आशंका, चिंता, घबराहट) of power imbalances (असंतुलन, विषमता, उतार-चढ़ाव) among members of BIMSTEC

The adoption (approval, endorsement, acceptance, ratification, validation) of the Charter at the Fifth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit (बैठक, सम्मेलन) promises to re-energise the 25-year-old grouping at a time of growing (बढ़ रही है) global uncertainties (अनिश्चितता, अप्रत्याशितता, अविश्वसनीयता). The Charter is expected to help impart (प्रदान करना, पेश करना) a more connected vision (अवधारणा, धारणा, विचार) to the seven-member organisation. The Charter, and India’s decision to lead the ‘security pillar (स्तम्भ, मुख्य आधार, ताकत)’ out of the seven designated (identified, recognized, classified) pillars of the revived (पुनर्जीवित, फिर से शुरू किया गया) BIMSTEC, has given India’s regional aspirations (आकांक्षा, महत्वाकांक्षा, आशा) a new orientation (अभिविन्यास), away from the stalemated (गतिरोध, रुका हुआ) SAARC that has been unable to meet since November 2014. The new opportunity is also accompanied (साथ देना) by its own set of problems. These inherent (implicit, intrinsic, fundamental, basic) challenges were reflected (indicate, show, display, demonstrate) in the time taken to finalise the Charter — one of the key factors was the Rohingya (an ethnic Muslim minority group, in western Myanmar (Burma)) crisis that has weakened (impair, undermine, compromise) bilateral (involving two groups or countries) Bangladesh-Myanmar ties (association, relationship, bond, connection), with Dhaka seeking (try, aim, attempt; ask for, request, appeal for) full repatriation (the return of (someone/something) to their country of origin) of the refugees (displaced person, asylum seeker, exile, deportee, stateless person, émigré) and Naypyidaw (the capital city of Myanmar (Burma)) disinclined (be unwilling, be reluctant, be averse) to respond positively to international pleas (appeal, request). Unlike SAARC, which is burdened by India-Pakistan hostilities (opposition, conflict, resentment, enmity, aversion, antipathy), BIMSTEC is relatively (to a certain degree, to a certain extent, partly, partially, in some measure, comparatively, moderately, a little, somewhat) free of (unaffected by, clear of, without) sharp bilateral disagreements and promises to provide India with a co-operative sphere (an area of activity; a field of activity; domain, realm) of its own. Given (considering, taking into account, bearing in mind) the complexity of domestic and geopolitical (relating to (the study of) the geographical factors (a country’s position on the earth, size, climate, and natural resources &, etc.) in world politics and inter-state relations) factors, this sphere will require sustained (continuous, constant, uninterrupted) bilateral and group-level discussions to prevent problems such as the Rohingya crisis from becoming impediments (hindrance, obstruction, obstacle, barrier) to the smooth delivery of economic and security outcomes (result, consequence, effect). India too will have to ensure equally sustained political engagement (participation, taking part, involvement) with partners such as Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to prevent any domestic political spillover (consequence, outcome, repercussion (an unexpected one)) from affecting bilateral and group-level working relationships.

With his call for a BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement (an agreement between two or more countries designed to reduce or eliminate certain barriers to trade and investment, and to facilitate stronger trade and commercial ties between participating countries), Prime Minister Narendra Modi has outlined (indicate, give a rough idea of, summarize) India’s vision to bolster (strengthen, support, make stronger, reinforce, buttress) trade connectivity in the grouping. An FTA spanning (extend over, spread over, cover, range over, comprise, compass) the maritime (of or related to the sea) resource-rich members such as Myanmar and Sri Lanka could bring dramatic gains for all members. A ‘coastal shipping ecosystem (complex situation/environment)’ and an interconnected electricity grid (an interconnected network for electricity delivery from producers to consumers), in addition to the adopted Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, have the potential (possibilities, potentiality, prospects) to boost intraregional trade and economic ties. Having walked away from mega trade blocs (alliance, association, coalition) such as the China-led RCEP, New Delhi’s willingness (readiness, preparedness, disposition, inclination) to explore (look into, consider, check out (an option/possibility)) an FTA within the framework (structure, system) of a near-home regional grouping may provide greater accommodation (arrangement, understanding, settlement, accord, compromise; adjustment, adaptation, attunement) for multi-party interests. The security- and trade-related lessons from the troubled SAARC and SAFTA experiences also ought to (must, should) serve (be useful, serve a purpose, meet requirements, suit) BIMSTEC well in the long run (eventually, in the end, ultimately). Ultimately though, for the revived grouping to realise its trade and economic potential, India will have to take a leadership role in assuaging any apprehensions among the smaller members of intragroup power imbalances and strive (try, attempt, make every effort) to facilitate (make easy, make possible, clear the way for, open the door for; enable, assist, help) greater cross-border (across a border between two states/countries) connectivity and flow of investments by lowering barriers (blockade, hurdle, obstacle, stumbling block, impediment, hindrance) to the movement of people and goods.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.cohesion (noun)

Hindi Meaning - एकजुटता, एकता, संयोग
English Meaning - unity, togetherness, solidarity, coherence.

2.imbalance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - असंतुलन, विषमता, उतार-चढ़ाव
English Meaning - disparity, variation, disproportion, unevenness, lopsidedness.

3.assuage (verb)

Hindi Meaning - शांत करना, राहत देना, कम करना
English Meaning - relieve, alleviate, soothe, mitigate, tone down, appease.

4.apprehension (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आशंका, चिंता, घबराहट
English Meaning - anxiety, worry, nervousness, disquiet, tension, concern, panic, fearfulness.

5.summit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बैठक, सम्मेलन
English Meaning - meeting, conference, conclave.

6.growing (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बढ़ रही है
English Meaning - increasing.

7.uncertainty (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनिश्चितता, अप्रत्याशितता, अविश्वसनीयता
English Meaning - unpredictability, unreliability, riskiness/precariousness.

8.impart (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रदान करना, पेश करना
English Meaning - give, provide, present.

9.vision (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अवधारणा, धारणा, विचार
English Meaning - concept, conception, idea, notion.

10.pillar (noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्तम्भ, मुख्य आधार, ताकत
English Meaning - mainstay, strength, tower of strength, bastion; backbone, support.

11.revived (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - पुनर्जीवित, फिर से शुरू किया गया
English Meaning - reintroduced, re-established, restored, relaunched.

12.aspiration (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आकांक्षा, महत्वाकांक्षा, आशा
English Meaning - ambition, hope, goal, desire.

13.orientation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभिविन्यास
English Meaning - inclination, direction, intention, angle.

14.stalemated (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - गतिरोध, रुका हुआ
English Meaning - deadlocked, standstilled, checkmated.

15.accompany (verb)

Hindi Meaning - साथ देना
English Meaning - occur with, appear with; be associated with, be connected with, be linked with.

16.Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) (noun)

English Meaning - a regional organization comprising seven Member States lying in the littoral and adjacent areas of the Bay of Bengal constituting a contiguous regional unity. This sub-regional organization came into being on 6 June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration. It constitutes seven Member States: five deriving from South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and two from Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand.

17.adoption (noun)

English Meaning - approval, endorsement, acceptance, ratification, validation.

18.charter (noun)

English Meaning - constitution, canon, body of law, system of rules.

19.connected (adjective)

English Meaning - related, associated, involved, concerned.

20.designated (adjective)

English Meaning - identified, recognized, classified.

21.inherent (adjective)

English Meaning - implicit, intrinsic, fundamental, basic.

22.reflect (verb)

English Meaning - indicate, show, display, demonstrate.

23.Rohingya (noun)

English Meaning - an ethnic Muslim minority group, in western Myanmar (Burma).

24.weaken (verb)

English Meaning - impair, undermine, compromise.

25.bilateral (adjective)

English Meaning - involving two groups or countries.

26.ties (noun)

English Meaning - association, relationship, bond, connection.

27.seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt; ask for, request, appeal for.

28.repatriation (noun)

English Meaning - the return of (someone/something) to their country of origin.

29.refugee (noun)

English Meaning - displaced person, asylum seeker, exile, deportee, stateless person, émigré.

30.Naypyidaw (proper noun)

English Meaning - the capital city of Myanmar (Burma).

31.disincline (verb)

English Meaning - be unwilling, be reluctant, be averse.

32.plea (noun)

English Meaning - appeal, request.

33.South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) (noun)

English Meaning - Established in 1985, it is the regional intergovernmental organization and geopolitical union of states in South Asia. Its member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

34.hostility (noun)

English Meaning - opposition, conflict, resentment, enmity, aversion, antipathy.

35.relatively (adverb)

English Meaning - to a certain degree, to a certain extent, partly, partially, in some measure, comparatively, moderately, a little, somewhat.

36.free of (adjective)

English Meaning - unaffected by, clear of, without.

37.sphere (noun)

English Meaning - an area of activity; a field of activity; domain, realm.

38.of one’s own (phrase)

English Meaning - belongs or relates to oneself only.

39.given (preposition)

English Meaning - considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.

40.geopolitical (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to (the study of) the geographical factors (a country’s position on the earth, size, climate, and natural resources &, etc.) in world politics and inter-state relations.

41.sustained (adjective)

English Meaning - continuous, constant, uninterrupted.

42.impediment (noun)

English Meaning - hindrance, obstruction, obstacle, barrier.

43.outcome (noun)

English Meaning - result, consequence, effect.

44.engagement (noun)

English Meaning - participation, taking part, involvement.

45.spillover (noun)

English Meaning - consequence, outcome, repercussion (an unexpected one).

46.call (for) (noun)

English Meaning - demand, requirement, need.

47.free trade agreement (FTA) (noun)

English Meaning - an agreement between two or more countries designed to reduce or eliminate certain barriers to trade and investment, and to facilitate stronger trade and commercial ties between participating countries.

48.outline (verb)

English Meaning - indicate, give a rough idea of, summarize.

49.bolster (verb)

English Meaning - strengthen, support, make stronger, reinforce, buttress.

50.span (verb)

English Meaning - extend over, spread over, cover, range over, comprise, compass.

51.maritime (adjective)

English Meaning - of or related to the sea.

52.ecosystem (noun)

English Meaning - complex situation/environment.

53.electricity grid (noun)

English Meaning - an interconnected network for electricity delivery from producers to consumers.

54.Master Plan for Transport Connectivity (noun)

English Meaning - The BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity envisages a seamless multimodal transport system across the region with efficient transit facilities to enhance the mobility of goods and people. This will stimulate intra-regional trade and investment in the region. It identifies 264 projects requiring an investment of $126 billion over a 10- year horizon from 2018–2028

55.potential (noun)

English Meaning - possibilities, potentiality, prospects.

56.intra-regional (adjective)

English Meaning - within a region.

57.intra- (prefix)

English Meaning - within.

58.inter- (prefix)

English Meaning - between.

59.walk away (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - leave, abandon, depart hastily from a situation in which one is involved.

60.bloc (noun)

English Meaning - alliance, association, coalition.

61.Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) (noun)

English Meaning - a proposed agreement between the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its free trade agreement (FTA) partners. The pact aims to cover trade in goods and services, intellectual property, etc.

62.willingness (noun)

English Meaning - readiness, preparedness, disposition, inclination.

63.explore (verb)

English Meaning - look into, consider, check out (an option/possibility).

64.framework (noun)

English Meaning - structure, system.

65.accommodation (noun)

English Meaning - arrangement, understanding, settlement, accord, compromise; adjustment, adaptation, attunement.

66.interest (noun)

English Meaning - common concerns (in politics/business).

67.South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) (noun)

English Meaning - the free trade arrangement of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).