Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Home and abroad: On PM Modi’s G-7 commitements and freedom of speech

Home and abroad: On PM Modi’s G-7 commitements and freedom of speech

Prime Minister Modi’s G-7 commitments on protecting freedoms will face scrutiny (जांच, सावधानीपूर्वक परीक्षा, निरीक्षण) in India

Geopolitics (भू-राजनीति) trumped (beat, outshine, eclipse, surpass, outdo, outperform; do better than) economics at the annual summit (बैठक, सम्मेलन) of the world’s “most industrialised (औद्योगिक)” countries, as the G-7 is known, at the German resort of Schloss Elmau, a summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended, along with other special invitees (आमंत्रित, अतिथि, निमंत्रित) from Argentina, Indonesia, Senegal, and South Africa. While the G-7 countries did have some economic initiatives on their agenda, including the launch of a $600 billion U.S.-led Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) (On June 26 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden along with his G7 allies unveiled the ambitious Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), announcing the collective mobilisation of $600 billion by 2027 to deliver “game-changing” and “transparent” infrastructure projects to developing and middle-income countries and support the United States’ and its allies’ economic and national security interests. It is an official launch of what had been rolled out last year at the G7 in the UK as Mr. Biden’s “Build Back Better World” (B3W) plan. It was packaged as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)), commitments on fighting climate change (जलवायु परिवर्तन), funding renewable energy (नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा, स्वच्छ ऊर्जा, हरित ऊर्जा) changes, mitigating (कम करना) inflation (मुद्रा स्फ़ीति) and managing the continued global crisis over the COVID-19 pandemic (महामारी), it was clear that most of the deliberations (विवेचना, बातचीत, चर्चा) took aim at the twin challenges seen from Russia and China. The 28-page communiqué (official communication, press release, bulletin) alternated (follow one another, be staggered; swap, exchange) between outlining (indicate, describe, summarize) the challenges to the international order that emanate (originate from, derive from, arise from, stem from, come from) from Moscow’s war in Ukraine (including tightening (make stricter, make more rigorous, make more stringent, stiffen, toughen, heighten) sanctions (प्रतिबंध), the impact on energy markets (ऊर्जा बाजार), and cybersecurity (साइबर सुरक्षा) threats), and Beijing’s “expansive (extensive, comprehensive, wide-ranging) maritime (of or related to the sea) claims (rights, entitlement)”, rights violations, and unsustainable (groundless, baseless, absurd, illogical, irrational) debt (liability, financial obligation, borrowed capital) creation in lower income countries. The G-7 countries issued separate statements on support for Ukraine, food security (food security is a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life) and a ‘Climate Club (The plan, championed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and according to it, G7 countries would “work with partners towards establishing an open, cooperative international Climate Club, consistent with international rules, by the end of 2022)’. In addition (moreover, furthermore, additionally), the G-7 and special invitee “partner countries” issued a statement on “Resilient Democracies (India, along with G7 countries and four invited countries, on 27 Jun 2022 signed the ‘2022 Resilient Democracies Statement’ in which they committed to “guarding the freedom, independence and diversity of civil society actors” and “protecting the freedom of expression and opinion online and offline”. It said that democracies promote solidarity and non-discriminatory, diverse, equitable, accessible and inclusive environments, enabling fair representation and political participation)”, committing to free and fair elections, protecting freedom of expression, and gender empowerment (the empowerment of people of any gender (either of the two sexes-male and female). More consideration and support given to a particular sex). The message for Russia and China was made even more pointed at the subsequent (following, ensuing, succeeding, successive) NATO Summit in Madrid, where the U.S.’s Transatlantic allies invited the U.S.’s Trans-Pacific (concerning/relating to countries on both sides of the Pacific Ocean) allies to discuss security challenges.

Given (considering, taking into account, bearing in mind) the targeted nature of the G-7 outcomes (result, consequence, effect), India had its work cut out as a balancing power. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it clear that it is the developing world that needs the most support, including to weather (survive, withstand, endure, come through, live through) the “knock-on” effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Government sought to distance itself from the PGII, pitched (try to convince someone to accept something) as a G-7 counter to (against, in opposition to) China’s Belt and Road Initiative (The Belt and Road Initiative, formerly known as One Belt One Road or OBOR for short, is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in nearly 71 countries and international organizations. It is also referred to as “21st century silk road”. From South-east Asia to Eastern Europe and Africa, Belt and Road includes 71 countries that account for half the world’s population and a quarter of global GDP), and made it evident that India had only signed on to the statements on “Resilient Democracies” and a “Just Energy Transition”, and not the many statements castigating (reprimand, rebuke, admonish, reprove, reproach, criticize, censure) Russia and China, much like Mr. Modi had, at the earlier BRICS summit, stayed away from (avoid, evade, dodge) President Putin and President Xi’s stringent (strict, severe, extreme, rigorous) criticism of the West (The Western world/civilization consisting of the majority of Europe & the North America). On the global stage, the G-7 outcomes mean New Delhi will have to continue to walk a tightrope between these two blocs (group, alliance, association, coalition) that are growing more polarised (separated into opposing two) and inimical (hostile, unfriendly, antagonistic, ill-disposed) towards each other. On the Indian stage, Mr. Modi’s G-7 commitments will be scrutinised (examine carefully, inspect; investigate) for his pronouncements (announcement, proclamation, declaration, formal statement) on democracy, and his written assurance that his government will protect civic (civil, community, public) society, freedoms of expression and “thought (idea, notion, belief, conception, conviction, opinion, view), conscience (morals, standards, values, principles, ethics, beliefs; a sense of right and wrong, moral sense, inner voice), religion or belief (ideology, principle, ideal, ethic, conviction, dogma)”, which are facing challenges within the country.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.freedom of speech (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बोलने की स्वतंत्रता
English Meaning - the right to express opinions without government interference.

2.scrutiny (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जांच, सावधानीपूर्वक परीक्षा, निरीक्षण
English Meaning - careful examination, inspection, investigation, analysis.

3.geopolitics (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भू-राजनीति
English Meaning - 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.

4.summit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बैठक, सम्मेलन
English Meaning - meeting, conference, conclave (of heads of state).

5.industrialised (verb)

Hindi Meaning - औद्योगिक
English Meaning - relating to a country/region that has highly developed industries on a large scale; highly developed.

6.invitee (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आमंत्रित, अतिथि, निमंत्रित
English Meaning - guest, visitor.

7.climate change (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जलवायु परिवर्तन
English Meaning - a long-term change in the Earth’s climate, or of a region on Earth (Courtesy: NASA).

8.renewable energy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नवीकरणीय ऊर्जा, स्वच्छ ऊर्जा, हरित ऊर्जा
English Meaning - clean energy, green energy; energy generated from natural resources (such as water, wind & solar energy).

9.mitigate (verb)

Hindi Meaning - कम करना
English Meaning - reduce, diminish, lessen.

10.inflation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मुद्रा स्फ़ीति
English Meaning - simply meaning “cost of living”; increase of price level of goods & services and vice versa decrease of currency value.

11.pandemic (noun)

Hindi Meaning - महामारी
English Meaning - the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.

12.deliberation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विवेचना, बातचीत, चर्चा
English Meaning - talks, discussion, debate, consultation.

13.sanctions (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबंध
English Meaning - action taken, or an order given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc (Courtesy: VOA Learning English).

14.energy market (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ऊर्जा बाजार
English Meaning - energy markets are national and international regulated markets that deal specifically with the trade and supply of energy.

15.cybersecurity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - साइबर सुरक्षा
English Meaning - the protection of internet-connected systems, including hardware, software, and data from cyber attacks.

16.G-7 or Group of Seven (noun)

English Meaning - a multilateral forum made up of the world’s seven largest so-called developed countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. They meet annually to discuss and exchange ideas on a broad range of issues, including global economy, security and energy.

17.trump (verb)

English Meaning - beat, outshine, eclipse, surpass, outdo, outperform; do better than.

18.Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) (noun)

English Meaning - On June 26 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden along with his G7 allies unveiled the ambitious Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII), announcing the collective mobilisation of $600 billion by 2027 to deliver “game-changing” and “transparent” infrastructure projects to developing and middle-income countries and support the United States’ and its allies’ economic and national security interests. It is an official launch of what had been rolled out last year at the G7 in the UK as Mr. Biden’s “Build Back Better World” (B3W) plan. It was packaged as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

19.take aim at somebody/something (phrase)

English Meaning - to criticize somebody/something strongly; lash out, condemn, scorn.

20.communique (noun)

English Meaning - official communication, press release, bulletin.

21.alternate (verb)

English Meaning - follow one another, be staggered; swap, exchange.

22.outline (verb)

English Meaning - indicate, describe, summarize.

23.world/international/global order (noun)

English Meaning - the arrangement of power and authority that provides the system for the conduct of diplomacy and world politics in relation to the entire world.

24.emanate (verb)

English Meaning - originate from, derive from, arise from, stem from, come from.

25.tighten (verb)

English Meaning - make stricter, make more rigorous, make more stringent, stiffen, toughen, heighten.

26.expansive (adjective)

English Meaning - extensive, comprehensive, wide-ranging.

27.maritime (adjective)

English Meaning - of or related to the sea.

28.claim (noun)

English Meaning - rights, entitlement.

29.unsustainable (adjective)

English Meaning - groundless, baseless, absurd, illogical, irrational.

30.debt (noun)

English Meaning - liability, financial obligation, borrowed capital.

31.food security (noun)

English Meaning - food security is a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

32.Climate Club (noun)

English Meaning - The plan, championed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and according to it, G7 countries would “work with partners towards establishing an open, cooperative international Climate Club, consistent with international rules, by the end of 2022.

33.in addition (phrase)

English Meaning - moreover, furthermore, additionally.

34.Resilient Democracies (noun)

English Meaning - India, along with G7 countries and four invited countries, on 27 Jun 2022 signed the ‘2022 Resilient Democracies Statement’ in which they committed to “guarding the freedom, independence and diversity of civil society actors” and “protecting the freedom of expression and opinion online and offline”. It said that democracies promote solidarity and non-discriminatory, diverse, equitable, accessible and inclusive environments, enabling fair representation and political participation.

35.resilient (adjective)

English Meaning - quick to recover, quick to bounce back (from difficulties/problems); buoyant, adaptable, flexible.

36.gender empowerment (noun)

English Meaning - the empowerment of people of any gender (either of the two sexes-male and female). More consideration and support given to a particular sex.

37.subsequent (adjective)

English Meaning - following, ensuing, succeeding, successive.

38.North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (noun)

English Meaning - NATO was created in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.

39.trans-Atlantic (adjective)

English Meaning - concerning/relating to countries on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

40.ally (noun)

English Meaning - a country/state with an alliance with another one in which they promise to support each other militarily and to defend each other.

41.trans-Pacific (adjective)

English Meaning - concerning/relating to countries on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.

42.given (preposition)

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

43.outcome (noun)

English Meaning - result, consequence, effect.

44.have one’s work cut out (phrase)

English Meaning - be faced with a tough task/work.

45.balancing act (noun)

English Meaning - an activity that calls for a delicate balance between different conditions/circumstances.

46.make clear (phrase)

English Meaning - explain, clarify, elucidate.

47.weather (verb)

English Meaning - survive, withstand, endure, come through, live through.

48.ripple effect/domino effect/knock-on effect (noun)

English Meaning - an event (or a process/action) that causes several other events to happen indirectly one after the other; secondary/indirect effect, consequence/implication, chain of events.

49.sought past tense of seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

50.distance oneself from (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - denounce, disown, reject.

51.pitch (verb)

English Meaning - try to convince someone to accept something.

52.counter to (adverb)

English Meaning - against, in opposition to.

53.Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) (noun)

English Meaning - The Belt and Road Initiative, formerly known as One Belt One Road or OBOR for short, is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in nearly 71 countries and international organizations. It is also referred to as “21st century silk road”. From South-east Asia to Eastern Europe and Africa, Belt and Road includes 71 countries that account for half the world’s population and a quarter of global GDP.

54.The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) (noun)

English Meaning - The initiative is ostensibly aimed at helping large developing economies to move away from coal in their electricity systems and achieve the Paris climate goals. it is also a global partnership for a transition towards a sustainable, low carbon and equitable energy system which is better for people and the planet.

55.castigate (verb)

English Meaning - reprimand, rebuke, admonish, reprove, reproach, criticize, censure.

56.BRICS countries (plural noun)

English Meaning - the acronym coined to associate five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The BRICS members are known for their significant influence on regional affairs.

57.stay away from (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - avoid, evade, dodge.

58.stringent (adjective)

English Meaning - strict, severe, extreme, rigorous.

59.the West (noun)

English Meaning - The Western world/civilization consisting of the majority of Europe & the North America.

60.walk/balance on a tightrope (phrase)

English Meaning - to deal with a difficult situation in which a very small error could have very bad outcomes.

61.bloc (noun)

English Meaning - group, alliance, association, coalition.

62.polarised (adjective)

English Meaning - separated into opposing two.

63.inimical (adjective)

English Meaning - hostile, unfriendly, antagonistic, ill-disposed.

64.scrutinise (verb)

English Meaning - examine carefully, inspect; investigate.

65.pronouncement (noun)

English Meaning - announcement, proclamation, declaration, formal statement.

66.civic (adjective)

English Meaning - civil, community, public.

67.civil society (noun)

English Meaning - civil society refers to space for collective action around shared interests, purposes, and values, generally distinct from government and commercial for-profit actors. It refers to a wide array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations [NGOs], labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations. Civil society - sometimes called the “third sector” (after government and commerce) - has the power to influence the actions of elected policy-makers and businesses.

68.thought (noun)

English Meaning - idea, notion, belief, conception, conviction, opinion, view.

69.conscience (noun)

English Meaning - morals, standards, values, principles, ethics, beliefs; a sense of right and wrong, moral sense, inner voice.

70.belief (noun)

English Meaning - ideology, principle, ideal, ethic, conviction, dogma.