Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Not taking sides: On Prime Minister Modi’s Ukraine visit

Not taking sides: On Prime Minister Modi’s Ukraine visit

Narendra Modi’s visit to Ukraine was more a balancing act (संतुलन बनाए रखना) than a peace effort

Six weeks after his visit to Moscow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Kyiv and meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday (August 23, 2024) was largely (काफी हद तक, अधिकतर) seen as an exercise (अभ्यास, प्रयास) in balancing India’s position (स्थिति, दृष्टिकोण) on the Russia-Ukraine war. Since Russia first invaded (आक्रमण करना, घुसपैठ करना) Ukraine in February 2022, India has maintained a uniquely distant position from the war: abstaining (not vote, decline to vote, refuse to vote (for or against something (a resolution/proposal/motion)) from all resolutions at the United Nations that dealt with the conflict (संघर्ष, विवाद) and were critical of (आलोचनात्मक, निंदनीय) Russia. India also ignored western sanctions (प्रतिबंध, रोक), particularly on payments for oil imports and defence hardware from Russia, and did not accept Mr. Zelenskyy’s requests to include Ukraine in the G-20 (The G20, formed in 1999, is a group of twenty of the world’s largest economies that meets regularly to coordinate global policy on trade, health, climate, and other issues. It brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies. The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, EU, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK and USA. The G20 Countries together represent around 90% of global GDP, 80% of global trade, and two thirds of the world’s population) summit last year or to send a high-level political participation (भागीदारी, सहभागिता) to the Swiss peace summit in June this year. India’s disapproval (अस्वीकृति, असंतोष) of Russia’s actions was instead couched (express, say, convey, communicate, set forth, put across (something in a particular way)) in the language of peace, all of cold comfort (poor/slight consolation or empathy) for Ukraine, which was seeking (खोज करना, मांगना) a clear alignment (संरेखण, गठबंधन) with its cause (कारण, उद्देश्य, आदर्श), and deeply (extremely, very much, thoroughly, seriously, intensely, strongly) critical of Mr. Modi’s Moscow visit. That Mr. Modi made the visit at all (in any way; to the least extent/degree; under any circumstances), the first by any Indian Prime Minister since Ukraine’s independence in 1991, is significant, and is being watched for signals of any major change in India’s policy on the war. During his short visit, the two leaders discussed the conflict, and later visited a memorial for children killed in the war. Unlike other international leaders visiting Kyiv since 2022, Mr. Modi did not meet with any war casualties (victim, fatality, loss, mortality (people killed in a war)) or injured soldiers and civilians (non-military person, ordinary citizen). The two sides signed agreements on cooperation in agriculture, culture, medical products and assistance for community development projects. The leaders did not, however, speak of (talk about, discuss, deal with, mention, refer to, comment, remark) progress on other outlooked (anticipated, excepted, future, prospective, eventual, possible, approaching, forthcoming) issues, including a strategic partnership (it is a long-term interaction between two countries based on political, economic, social and historical factors), or supplies of telecom (short form for telecommunications) and medical infrastructure (the basic physical or organisational structure or framework that a country or organization needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as buildings, roads & railways networks, utilities, etc), and construction equipment that Ukraine has requested.

The broader question around the visit was whether India would now play a larger role in resolving the conflict which includes an idea propounded (submit, propose, put forward, suggest) by Kyiv for another summit in November. Mr. Modi has also become one of a handful (a few, a small number, a small quantity, some) of world leaders, from Indonesia, Türkiye, South Africa and Hungary, to have visited Kyiv and Moscow, and, hence, in a position to reach out (contact someone to obtain/offer help/assistance/cooperation) to both with peace initiatives. As a leader of the Global South (the poor developing countries (of Asia, Africa, South America, amongst others); the economically developed countries (of Europe, North America, Australia, amongst others)), India has a stake (interest, involvement, concern, challenge) in ensuring that the impact (effect, aftermath, consequences, repercussions, ramifications) of the war in Europe and sanctions do not continue to imperil (endanger, jeopardize, put in danger) the developing and under-developed nations. However, New Delhi has thus far (until now, up to this point, hitherto, to date) not shown an interest (common concerns (in politics/business)) in more than passing messages when required, sending officials (officer, office-holder, office-bearer, functionary, bureaucrat, mandarin, epresentative) to Doha and Bürgenstock when invited to attend peace dialogues (meeting, parley, talks, negotiation, summit, discussion, deliberation), and encouraging the two parties to deal directly with each other. Unless that understanding (comprehension, interpretation, cognizance, awareness) of India’s interest changes, it would seem Mr. Modi’s visit followed form (ritual, custom, protocol, tradition, convention, routine, pattern, set formula), but did not fundamentally move the needle (change a situation to a noticeable level, and typically implies a positive change) on the global peace effort. Nor did the substance (significant subject, important matter/content, valid message) greatly outweigh (have the edge over, offset, cancel out, outbalance) the symbolism (comparison, metaphor, figurative expression) of the much-awaited (much-expected, much-anticipated) visit.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.take sides (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - पक्ष लेना
English Meaning - support, back, give one’s support to, be on the side of, stand by, stand up for, ally oneself with, associate oneself with.

2.balancing act (noun)

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

3.largely (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - काफी हद तक, अधिकतर
English Meaning - mostly, mainly, generally.

4.exercise (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभ्यास, प्रयास
English Meaning - activity, effort.

5.invade (verb)

Hindi Meaning - आक्रमण करना, घुसपैठ करना
English Meaning - attack, assault, occupy, conquer, capture, take, take over, take possession of.

6.position (noun)

Hindi Meaning - स्थिति, दृष्टिकोण
English Meaning - stance, standpoint, disposition, point of view, viewpoint, opinion, perspective.

7.UN resolution (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संयुक्त राष्ट्र संकल्प
English Meaning - United Nations resolution is formal expression of the opinion or will of United Nations organs. It is a decision or declaration voted on by all member states of the United Nations and it usually requires a simple majority (50 percent of all votes plus one) to pass. Although any UN body can issue resolutions, in practice most resolutions are issued by the Security Council or the General Assembly.

8.conflict (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्ष, विवाद
English Meaning - war, warfare, armed conflict, military action, armed clash.

9.critical of (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - आलोचनात्मक, निंदनीय
English Meaning - reproving, disapproving, condemning, criticizing.

10.sanctions (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबंध, रोक
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; embargo, ban, prohibition, barrier, restriction.

11.participation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भागीदारी, सहभागिता
English Meaning - engagement, contribution, involvement.

12.disapproval (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अस्वीकृति, असंतोष
English Meaning - opposition, objection, dissent, disagreement, difference of opinion.

13.seek (verb)

Hindi Meaning - खोज करना, मांगना
English Meaning - try to find, try to obtain, aim, attempt; request, ask for, appeal for.

14.alignment (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संरेखण, गठबंधन
English Meaning - alliance, union, association, agreement, sympathy, cooperation, affiliation.

15.cause (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कारण, उद्देश्य, आदर्श
English Meaning - principle, ideal, purpose, objective, conviction; motive, motivation, rationale, grounds.

16.Kyiv (proper noun)

English Meaning - the capital city of Ukraine.

17.abstain (verb)

English Meaning - not vote, decline to vote, refuse to vote (for or against something (a resolution/proposal/motion).

18.resolution (noun)

English Meaning - decision, declaration; ruling/verdict.

19.G-20 (noun)

English Meaning - The G20, formed in 1999, is a group of twenty of the world’s largest economies that meets regularly to coordinate global policy on trade, health, climate, and other issues. It brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies. The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, EU, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK and USA. The G20 Countries together represent around 90% of global GDP, 80% of global trade, and two thirds of the world’s population.

20.summit (noun)

English Meaning - meeting, conference, conclave (international meeting/conference of heads of state/government).

21.Swiss peace summit OR Peace Conference OR the Summit on Peace in Ukraine (noun)

English Meaning - An international peace summit in relation to the Russo-Ukrainian War, formally called the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, was held in Bürgenstock Resort in Switzerland on 15–16 June 2024.

22.couch (verb)

English Meaning - express, say, convey, communicate, set forth, put across (something in a particular way).

23.cold comfort (phrase)

English Meaning - poor/slight consolation or empathy.

24.deeply (adverb)

English Meaning - extremely, very much, thoroughly, seriously, intensely, strongly.

25.at all (phrase)

English Meaning - in any way; to the least extent/degree; under any circumstances.

26.casualty (noun)

English Meaning - victim, fatality, loss, mortality (people killed in a war).

27.civilian (noun)

English Meaning - non-military person, ordinary citizen.

28.speak of (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - talk about, discuss, deal with, mention, refer to, comment, remark.

29.outlooked (adjective)

English Meaning - anticipated, excepted, future, prospective, eventual, possible, approaching, forthcoming.

30.strategic partnership (noun)

English Meaning - it is a long-term interaction between two countries based on political, economic, social and historical factors.

31.telecom (noun)

English Meaning - short form for telecommunications.

32.infrastructure (noun)

English Meaning - the basic physical or organisational structure or framework that a country or organization needs in order to function properly. For a whole nation, it includes all the physical systems such as buildings, roads & railways networks, utilities, etc.

33.broader superlative adjective of broad (adjective)

English Meaning - comprehensive, extensive, wide, wide-ranging, broad-ranging.

34.play a role or play a part (phrase)

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

35.propound (verb)

English Meaning - submit, propose, put forward, suggest.

36.handful (noun)

English Meaning - a few, a small number, a small quantity, some.

37.reach out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - contact someone to obtain/offer help/assistance/cooperation.

38.Global South (noun)

English Meaning - the poor developing countries (of Asia, Africa, South America, amongst others); the economically developed countries (of Europe, North America, Australia, amongst others)

39.stake (noun)

English Meaning - interest, involvement, concern, challenge.

40.impact (noun)

English Meaning - effect, aftermath, consequences, repercussions, ramifications.

41.imperil (verb)

English Meaning - endanger, jeopardize, put in danger.

42.thus far (phrase)

English Meaning - until now, up to this point, hitherto, to date.

43.interest (noun)

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

44.official (noun)

English Meaning - officer, office-holder, office-bearer, functionary, bureaucrat, mandarin, epresentative.