Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​A wobbly walk: On Modi’s Moscow visit and India-Russia ties

​A wobbly walk: On Modi’s Moscow visit and India-Russia ties

India did well to assert its ties with Russia, but the optics were bad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Moscow visit was billed as his first “stand-alone” visit during this tenure, with officials laying stress on the purely “bilateral” framework. However, while the visit had strong bilateral components, its impact has been felt globally, with unprecedented (अभूतपूर्व) criticism from Kyiv and Washington on its timing and optics. On the bilateral front, the visit, his first to Russia since 2019, and the first “annual” summit in three years, resulted in a number of outcomes. There was a reaffirmation (पुनः पुष्टि) of India-Russia ties as well as Mr. Modi’s obvious personal rapport with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Modi also received Russia’s highest civilian award. He praised Mr. Putin’s efforts to strengthen bilateral ties, that had appeared to be flagging, given the war in Ukraine, and growing Russia-China ties. In formal talks, the leaders focused on bettering the economic and trade relationship, which has often been a neglected part of the largely government-to-government engagements, and announced a bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030, which should be easily met given India’s massive (विशाल) increase in oil imports from Russia specially discounted due to western sanctions. Mr. Modi also won an assurance from Mr. Putin that Indian recruits enlisted (भर्ती होना) in the Russian Army will be allowed to return to India. Unlike in the past, the visit lacked any announcements of military purchases that have been the mainstay of ties, due partially to Russian delays in supplies of deals already announced after the invasion of Ukraine and to also avoid international censure. Mr. Modi’s statement that there was “no solution on the battlefield” to the conflict (संघर्ष), as well as his decision to travel further to Vienna, were seen as attempts to balance the trip, his first since the conflict began.

In an increasingly polarised world, this was easier said than done, especially as Mr. Modi’s visit happened even as Ukraine was hit by a devastating missile attack. There were also NATO, western alliance (गठबंधन) leaders and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy converging in Washington for a summit that was aimed, albeit unsuccessfully, at showing Russia’s isolation. It is another matter that the stance reeks of hypocrisy (पाखंड), as the NATO countries have failed to show similar concerns over the killing of innocents in Gaza due to Israel’s relentless (निर्दयी, कठोर) bombardment. The U.S. State Department and Ukraine have been openly critical of Mr. Modi’s visit, and New Delhi’s task will be to limit the damage in ties with the U.S. and Europe. In the long term, India will have to assert its interests and convince (समझाना) the West that it is futile to force India to choose, or to push a country known for its independent stance, to become a camp follower in this conflict.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Wobbly (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - डगमगाने वाला
English Meaning - Unsteady or unstable.

2.Unprecedented (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अभूतपूर्व
English Meaning - Never done or known before.

3.Reaffirmation (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - पुनः पुष्टि
English Meaning - The act of affirming or asserting again.

4.Massive (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विशाल
English Meaning - Large and heavy or solid.

5.Enlist (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - भर्ती होना
English Meaning - To enroll or be enrolled in the armed services.

6.Alliance (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - गठबंधन
English Meaning - A union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations.

7.Hypocrisy (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - पाखंड
English Meaning - The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense.

8.Convince (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - समझाना, राजी करना
English Meaning - To cause someone to believe firmly in the truth of something.

9.Relentless (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - निर्दयी, कठोर
English Meaning - Oppressively constant; incessant.

10.Conflict (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्ष
English Meaning - A serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one.