Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Neutrality and abstention: On India’s stand in the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Neutrality and abstention: On India’s stand in the Russia-Ukraine conflict

India must take a stand against (oppose, go against, resist) Russia’s bombing of civilians (असैनिक, गैर-सैन्य व्यक्ति) and annexation (राज्य-हरण, कब्जा, अधिग्रहण) of territory

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday was a significant marker (निशान, संकेत, सूचक) in the continuing war in Ukraine. While Mr. Modi has often spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and also met him last month, his conversations with Mr. Zelenskyy thus far (अब तक, आज तक) were restricted (प्रतिबंधित, सीमित, न्यूनतम) to the period when the Government was involved in the evacuation (निकास) of about 20,000 Indian students. The phone call came a few weeks after the Putin meeting, and Mr. Zelenskyy joined western leaders in complimenting (praise, applaud, congratulate, admire, hail) Mr. Modi for his “now is not the time for war” comment (टिप्पणी, कथन, राय). In turn (के बदले में, क्रमानुसार), Mr. Modi told Mr. Zelenskyy that there is no military solution to the conflict (संघर्ष, लड़ाई, युद्ध). They also spoke a week after India chose to abstain (not vote, decline to vote, refuse to vote (formally)) from voting against Russia for conducting referendums (जनमत संग्रह) and annexing (उपभवन, कब्जा करना, जीतना) Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, although neither leader referred to (cite, mention) it. They also discussed the critical importance of nuclear safety, particularly the Zaporizhzhia plant, that has been of much concern for the IAEA, which is involved in brokering (negotiate (a deal/agreement)) talks (discussions, negotiations, deliberation) between Ukraine and Russia to enforce (लागू करना, थोपना, बल देना) a nuclear protective zone around it. The plant, under Russian control, and in Oblast (an administrative division or region in Russia and the former Soviet Union, and in some Slavic countries) province (territory, region, district, area) where Mr. Putin recently declared “annexation”, is near the scene of fighting. The MEA said that Mr. Modi “underlined (रेखांकन, ज़ोर देना) that endangerment (the act of putting someone or something in danger) of nuclear facilities (centre, station, set-up, premises, place, location) could have... catastrophic (destructive, ruinous, disastrous, devastating) consequences (result, outcome, effect, repercussion, reverberations, ramification) for public health (the protection and improvement of the health of people and their communities through education, policy making and research for disease and injury prevention) and environment”, although he did not clarify which side the peril was posed (constitute, present, create, cause (a problem or danger or risk)) from. Finally, Mr. Modi expressed “India’s readiness (preparedness, willingness, inclination., eagerness, keenness, commitment) to contribute to (play a role, be instrumental in, be a factor in) any peace efforts”, to which Mr. Zelenskyy responded that he would not conduct any negotiations (discussion, talk, consultation, deliberation, dialogue) with the “current President of the Russian Federation (commonly known as Russia; a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia)”.

Over the past seven months, the war and western sanctions (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) have had a dramatic impact on global security, food, fuel and energy supplies, and it is important to keep the lines of communication (a way by which information may be shared from one person to another) open, as Mr. Modi has done, with Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelenskyy. India has an established (accepted, traditional, entrenched, well known, recognized, acclaimed, esteemed, acknowledged) record in global peacemaking. However, New Delhi can only play that part if it also sets out (arrange, present, put out, display, exhibit) its position more clearly, and links it to its actions on the global stage. The Government’s defiance (opposition, resistance; refusal to accept, unwillingness to accept) of western sanctions on oil and defence trade is understandable in terms of (with regard to, regarding, concerning, as to, in respect of, with reference to, in the matter of, in connection with) defending India’s national interests (common concerns (in politics/business)). However, it is harder to correlate (relate to, equate to, be in agreement, be in tune) Mr. Modi’s comments, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s remarks, on adherence (compliance, observance, conformity; allegiance, faithfulness, obedience) to the UN charter (constitution, canon, body of law, system of rules) and the importance of protecting territorial sovereignty (autonomy, independence, self-government, self-rule, self-legislation, self-determination, self-governance, freedom, liberty) while India continues to abstain on all votes that criticise Russia’s actions in Ukraine: including the bombing of civilians, and the annexation of occupied territories.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.neutrality (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तटस्थता, गुटनिरपेक्षता
English Meaning - non-alignment, non-participation, non-involvement.

2.conflict (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्ष, लड़ाई, युद्ध
English Meaning - war, armed conflict, battle, fighting.

3.civilian (noun)

Hindi Meaning - असैनिक, गैर-सैन्य व्यक्ति
English Meaning - non-military person, ordinary citizen.

4.annexation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - राज्य-हरण, कब्जा, अधिग्रहण
English Meaning - occupation, conquering, capture, seizure, annexing, takeover.

5.marker (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निशान, संकेत, सूचक
English Meaning - indicator, indication, sign, signal, pointer.

6.thus far (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - अब तक, आज तक
English Meaning - until now, till date.

7.restricted (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबंधित, सीमित, न्यूनतम
English Meaning - limited, minimal, moderate, modest.

8.evacuation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निकास
English Meaning - the act of moving people from a dangerous place; depopulation, clearance, emptying.

9.comment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - टिप्पणी, कथन, राय
English Meaning - remark, statement, opinion.

10.in turn (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के बदले में, क्रमानुसार
English Meaning - in succession, successively, sequentially.

11.referendum (noun)

Hindi Meaning - जनमत संग्रह
English Meaning - public vote; a direct vote in which people cast ballots to decide on a specific issue or policy.

12.annex (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उपभवन, कब्जा करना, जीतना
English Meaning - occupy, conquer, capture, seize, takeover.

13.International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अंतरराष्ट्रीय परमाणु ऊर्जा एजेंसी
English Meaning - an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957.

14.enforce (verb)

Hindi Meaning - लागू करना, थोपना, बल देना
English Meaning - apply, implement, impose, force, exact, inflict.

15.underline (verb)

Hindi Meaning - रेखांकन, ज़ोर देना
English Meaning - emphasize, accentuate, bring attention to, underscore, highlight.

16.stand against (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - oppose, go against, resist.

17.abstention (noun)

English Meaning - refusal to vote, abstaining, non-voting.

18.stand (noun)

English Meaning - position, approach, policy, opinion, viewpoint.

19.compliment (verb)

English Meaning - praise, applaud, congratulate, admire, hail.

20.abstain (verb)

English Meaning - not vote, decline to vote, refuse to vote (formally).

21.refer to (verb)

English Meaning - cite, mention.

22.broker (verb)

English Meaning - negotiate (a deal/agreement).

23.talks (noun)

English Meaning - discussions, negotiations, deliberation.

24.Oblast (noun)

English Meaning - an administrative division or region in Russia and the former Soviet Union, and in some Slavic countries.

25.province (noun)

English Meaning - territory, region, district, area.

26.endangerment noun)

English Meaning - the act of putting someone or something in danger.

27.facility (noun)

English Meaning - centre, station, set-up, premises, place, location.

28.catastrophic (adjective)

English Meaning - destructive, ruinous, disastrous, devastating.

29.consequence (noun)

English Meaning - result, outcome, effect, repercussion, reverberations, ramification.

30.public health (noun)

English Meaning - the protection and improvement of the health of people and their communities through education, policy making and research for disease and injury prevention.

31.peril (noun)

English Meaning - threat/danger, risk, menace, intimidation.

32.pose (verb)

English Meaning - constitute, present, create, cause (a problem or danger or risk).

33.readiness (noun)

English Meaning - preparedness, willingness, inclination., eagerness, keenness, commitment.

34.contribute to (verb)

English Meaning - play a role, be instrumental in, be a factor in.

35.negotiation (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, talk, consultation, deliberation, dialogue.

36.Russian Federation (noun)

English Meaning - commonly known as Russia; a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia.

37.sanctions (noun)

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.

38.line of communication (noun)

English Meaning - a way by which information may be shared from one person to another.

39.established (adjective)

English Meaning - accepted, traditional, entrenched, well known, recognized, acclaimed, esteemed, acknowledged.

40.play a part/role (phrase)

English Meaning - contribute to, be instrumental in, be a factor in.

41.set out (Phrasal Verbs)

English Meaning - arrange, present, put out, display, exhibit.

42.defiance (noun)

English Meaning - opposition, resistance; refusal to accept, unwillingness to accept.

43.in terms of (phrase)

English Meaning - with regard to, regarding, concerning, as to, in respect of, with reference to, in the matter of, in connection with.

44.interest (noun)

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

45.correlate (verb)

English Meaning - relate to, equate to, be in agreement, be in tune.

46.adherence (noun)

English Meaning - compliance, observance, conformity; allegiance, faithfulness, obedience.

47.charter (noun)

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

48.sovereignty (noun)

English Meaning - autonomy, independence, self-government, self-rule, self-legislation, self-determination, self-governance, freedom, liberty.