Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Talking about talking: On an India-China dialogue

Talking about talking: On an India-China dialogue

Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping need to have substantive conversations on ties

India and China have once again come away (to become detached/separated) from their talks with starkly (clearly, distinctly, overtly, strikingly) different views of their ties. The only talking point from last week’s brief (संक्षिप्त) conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of (it refers to a meeting/forum occurs at the same time as the scheduled meeting/forum, but is not itself an item on the agenda) the BRICS Summit (सम्मेलन, बैठक) revolved around (be concerned with, focus on, concentrate on, centre around) not what was said between them — which remains largely (काफी हद तक) a mystery (रहस्यमय, पहेली) as is (जैसा कि) the way of “informal” conversations — but how it was said. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) released no statement on the talks, although Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra told reporters on August 24 that both had “underlined (रेखांकित करना) that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity (शांति) in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalisation (सामान्यीकरण) of the India-China relationship”. He added that they had decided to “direct their relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious (शीघ्र, तेज़) disengagement (withdrawal, departure, retreat (of military troops from an area of conflict)) and de-escalation (reduction, lessening, decrease (the intensity of something))”. A Chinese Foreign Ministry statement made no such mention, saying that Mr. Xi had said both sides “should bear in mind (ध्यान में रखना) the overall interests (common concerns (in politics/business))” of ties and “handle properly” the border issue. The Chinese statement also said they had spoken at India’s request, prompting (cause, result in, lead to, give rise to, call forth, bring on, bring about) “official sources” in New Delhi to tell reporters that it was China that had requested a more structured bilateral (द्विपक्षीय) meeting, which India had turned down.

The exchange (conversation, dialogue, meeting, discussion) in South Africa was only the second known interaction between the leaders since the start of the LAC crisis in 2020. It took the MEA as long as (during the time that) eight months to acknowledge (स्वीकार करना) they had discussed the border in a conversation initially described as “pleasantries (a friendly, casual, polite remark (in an informal conversation))” exchanged at the G-20 in Bali in November 2022. India had, at the G-20 as well, reportedly (कथित तौर पर) made clear it was not willing for a more structured sit down (an instance of sitting as to talk with someone) exchange, although as videos showed, it was Mr. Modi who finally initiated the conversation with Mr. Xi. If the Modi government is concerned that speaking formally with Mr. Xi would expose (reveal, lay bare, disclose, manifest, bring to light, uncover, display) it to Opposition criticism over China or dilute (weaken, reduce, decrease, diminish) its messaging on “abnormal” ties, the argument that a dialogue is some sort of (slightly, somewhat, to some extent, to a certain degree) concession (compromise, adjustment, point lost) or a victory for Beijing is not a serious one. What matters more is what is said in the dialogue. In fact, a structured dialogue at the upcoming (approaching, forthcoming, imminent, nearing, impending) G-20 in New Delhi, which Mr. Xi is expected to attend, would give the Prime Minister the opportunity to firmly underline India’s stand, in the clearest terms and at the highest level, that relations are predicated on peace and the future of the relationship hinges on China restoring the status quo (the present situation, the current state, the existing state of affairs) and India’s patrolling (watching/guarding an area (over a period of time)) rights along the borders. The only ostensible (supposed, claimed, professed, purported, reported, alleged) reason for India’s reluctance (unwillingness, disinclination, hesitation) appears to be the government’s unfortunate prioritisation (the activity that arranges items or activities in order of importance relative to each other; preference) of political optics (the way in which something (political action/situation) is recognized by the general public) over public interest in its dealing with China, which has also led to continuing opacity (opaqueness, non-transparency, obscurity, lack of clarity) over what is currently unfolding (develop, happen, occur, take place, transpire (gradually)) along the border.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.dialogue (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वार्ता, बातचीत
English Meaning - discussion, discourse, debate, talks, deliberation, negotiation, parley.

2.brief (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - संक्षिप्त
English Meaning - short, quick, momentary.

3.summit (noun)

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

4.largely (adverb)

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

5.mystery (noun)

Hindi Meaning - रहस्यमय, पहेली
English Meaning - conundrum, unsolved problem, question mark.

6.as is (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - जैसा कि
English Meaning - in its present state or condition.

7.underline (verb)

Hindi Meaning - रेखांकित करना
English Meaning - highlight, underscore, stress, emphasize, call/draw attention to, put stress on.

8.tranquillity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शांति
English Meaning - peacefulness, restfulness, calmness, quietness.

9.Line of Actual Control (LAC) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - वास्तविक नियंत्रण रेखा
English Meaning - the de-facto (effective) border between India and China. The LAC is a 4,057-km border running through three areas-Western (Ladakh, Ladakh (Kashmir)), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal) and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal).

10.normalisation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सामान्यीकरण
English Meaning - the process of bringing something back to a normal condition.

11.expeditious (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - शीघ्र, तेज़
English Meaning - speedy, quick, rapid, swift.

12.bear in mind (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - ध्यान में रखना
English Meaning - remember, consider, take into account, be mindful, pay/have regard to.

13.bilateral (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - द्विपक्षीय
English Meaning - involving two groups or countries.

14.acknowledge (verb)

Hindi Meaning - स्वीकार करना
English Meaning - admit, concede, recognize, accept, agree.

15.reportedly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - कथित तौर पर
English Meaning - apparently, supposedly, purportedly.

16.substantive (adjective)

English Meaning - important, meaningful, significant, considerable.

17.ties (noun)

English Meaning - relationship, association, connection, bond.

18.come away (from) (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to become detached/separated.

19.starkly (adverb)

English Meaning - clearly, distinctly, overtly, strikingly.

20.on the sidelines of (phrase)

English Meaning - it refers to a meeting/forum occurs at the same time as the scheduled meeting/forum, but is not itself an item on the agenda.

21.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.

22.revolve around (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - be concerned with, focus on, concentrate on, centre around.

23.disengagement (noun)

English Meaning - withdrawal, departure, retreat (of military troops from an area of conflict).

24.de-escalation (noun)

English Meaning - reduction, lessening, decrease (the intensity of something).

25.interest (noun)

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

26.prompt (verb)

English Meaning - cause, result in, lead to, give rise to, call forth, bring on, bring about.

27.structured (adjective)

English Meaning - organic, organized, coordinated, systematic, methodical, consistent, harmonious.

28.turn down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - reject, refuse, decline, say no to.

29.exchange (noun)

English Meaning - conversation, dialogue, meeting, discussion.

30.as long as (phrase)

English Meaning - during the time that.

31.pleasantry (noun)

English Meaning - a friendly, casual, polite remark (in an informal conversation)

32.The Group of Twenty (G20) (noun)

English Meaning - The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier international forum for global economic cooperation. The members of the G20 are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and the European Union. G20 members account for 85 per cent of the world economy, 75 per cent of global trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population, including more than half of the world’s poor.

33.make clear (phrase)

English Meaning - explain, clarify, elucidate.

34.sit down (noun)

English Meaning - an instance of sitting as to talk with someone.

35.expose (verb)

English Meaning - reveal, lay bare, disclose, manifest, bring to light, uncover, display.

36.dilute (verb)

English Meaning - weaken, reduce, decrease, diminish.

37.sort of (phrase)

English Meaning - slightly, somewhat, to some extent, to a certain degree.

38.concession (noun)

English Meaning - compromise, adjustment, point lost.