Hindi English Translation || Editorial || At the high table: On the Raisina Dialogue

At the high table: On the Raisina Dialogue

The Raisina Dialogue lacked (कमी होना, अभाव होना) diversity (विविधता) in conversations (बातचीत) on foreign policy

At the ninth edition of the annual Raisina Dialogue, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar called India a “bridging power”, a country seeking (तलाश करना, प्रयास करें) common ground through a “multi-vector” policy (it means a friendly & pragmatic foreign policy towards all key states), and playing the role of a “Vishwamitra” or friend of the world. Such lofty (tall, high, giant, imposing, magnificent) ambitions are why the conference, launched by the Ministry of External Affairs, aims to engage (participate in, take part in, take part in, join in, become involved in, involve (a talk/discussion)) global leaders on the big issues and challenges in the world. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who inaugurated the event, spoke about the importance of connectivity projects such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (आर्थिक गलियारा). Global governance, the inequality (असमानता) at the top of the UN Security Council (संयुक्त राष्ट्र सुरक्षा परिषद) and the need for reform were discussed. India’s rightful (fair, impartial, unbiased, proper) place at the high table (a group with most important people. It exactly means (particularly in a dining hall of a college) a table put on a raised platform for most important people) of global decision-making, or as Mr. Jaishankar put it, “to be a player, rather than (इसके बजाय) a playing field”, was referred to repeatedly (बार-बार), as was India’s success in hosting (conduct, organize, arrange (an event)) 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) last year. Due to (इस कारण) the G-20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brazil, there was no senior ministerial presence from the P-5 or the major G-7 or BRICS-10 countries. However, the large ministerial contingent (group, body, unit, delegation) from Central and Eastern Europe, which included all Ministers of the Baltic-Nordic forum, enabled a new diplomatic (राजनयिक, कूटनीतिक) outreach (the level of reaching out/activity/effort; involvement) for the government that is seeking trade agreements and investment ties (association, relationship, bond, connection) with this part of Europe that is oft-overlooked (अनदेखी) but competitive (प्रतिस्पर्धात्मक), economically.

The greater part of the conversations, however, focused on global conflicts (संघर्ष, टकराव), with the heavy presence of the European dignitaries (important/notable person, VIP, leader) turning the spotlight on the Russian war in Ukraine, and panels (committee, council, advisory body) on military and naval (relating to a navy) strategy (रणनीति) concentrating on the need to handle an aggressive (hostile, belligerent, bellicose, hawkish, combative) China. Unfortunately, these conversations did not strive (try, try hard, aim, aspire, seek, struggle, make every effort) for balance (equilibrium, evenness, parity, symmetry), as neither Russia nor China was invited. There was minimal presence from South East Asia, Latin America, and even South Asia (excepting Nepal and Bhutan); a larger presence may have offered more variegated (multicoloured, multicolour, colourful, rainbow-like; diverse, various, mixed, diversified, varied, sundry) positions and thrown light on the pressures they face from these conflicts. Panels on democracy (a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through fairly & freely elected representatives) understandably (agreeably, fairly, honestly, logically, understandably, reasonably, obviously, comprehensibly) steered clear of the vibrant (spirited, lively, high-spirited, energetic, vigorous, dynamic, exciting, passionate, fiery, determined) debates within India on the decline of freedoms, but the lack of (absence, non-existence, unavailability; deficiency, scarcity, dearth) non-governmental civil society organisations in the discourse (discussion, conversation, communication, expression) produced a narrow (narrow-minded, intolerant, illiberal, partisan, sectarian, discriminatory) view of the challenges that democracy faces worldwide. Notably (particularly, especially, markedly, significantly) absent were conversations focusing on (emphasize, give emphasis to, highlight, accentuate, call attention to, pay attention to, draw attention to, zero in on, spotlight, give prominence to, bring to the fore) the Israeli war in Gaza. Such omissions (deletion, elimination, exclusion, erasure, non-inclusion, negligence, neglect, oversight) not only mean a lack of diversity in conversations at India’s premier (top, highest, main, leading, foremost, primary) forum for foreign policy thinking but they also take something away (remove something; to reduce the value/ importance of (something)) from Mr. Jaishankar’s otherwise sound (well founded, reasonable, logical, credible, convincing) observation (remark, comment, statement, pronouncement) that the Raisina Dialogue has become the “Made in India” version of the “Global Public Square (A place to public interaction and discussion on international issues and foreign affairs)”.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.lack (verb)

Hindi Meaning - कमी होना, अभाव होना
English Meaning - be without, require, not have enough of, be short of.

2.diversity (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विविधता
English Meaning - existence/presence of different people (from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives ranging from race to age to gender to hometown to educational experience) within group; variety, variance, difference.

3.conversation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बातचीत
English Meaning - discussion, talk, dialogue, parley, conference.

4.seek (verb)

Hindi Meaning - तलाश करना, प्रयास करें
English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

5.Economic Corridor (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आर्थिक गलियारा
English Meaning - Economic corridors connect economic agents along a defined geography and region. They are integrated networks of infrastructure within a geographical area designed to stimulate economic development. They may be developed within a country or between countries.

6.inequality (noun)

Hindi Meaning - असमानता
English Meaning - Inequality is simply defined as “the state of not being equal, especially in status, rights and opportunities; imbalance, unevenness, disproportion, disparity.

7.UN Security Council (UNSC) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संयुक्त राष्ट्र सुरक्षा परिषद
English Meaning - it is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, charged with ensuring international peace and security.

8.rather than (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - इसके बजाय
English Meaning - instead of.

9.repeatedly (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - बार-बार
English Meaning - frequently, again and again, invariably, constantly, regularly, consistently.

10.due to (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - इस कारण
English Meaning - because of, owing to, on account of, as a result of.

11.diplomatic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - राजनयिक, कूटनीतिक
English Meaning - tactful, sensitive, subtle, delicate; consular, foreign-policy.

12.overlooked (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अनदेखी
English Meaning - neglected, forgotten, ignored, unnoticed, unheeded. disregarded.

13.competitive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिस्पर्धात्मक
English Meaning - ambitious, driven, keen, zealous, aggressive.

14.conflict (noun)

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

15.strategy (noun)

Hindi Meaning - रणनीति
English Meaning - plan of action (in order to achieve a more expansive set of political, economic, and security interests).

16.high table (noun)

English Meaning - a group with most important people. It exactly means (particularly in a dining hall of a college) a table put on a raised platform for most important people.

17.Raisina Dialogue (noun)

English Meaning - It is India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community. Every year, leaders in politics, business, media, and civil society converge in New Delhi to discuss the state of the world and explore opportunities for cooperation on a wide range of contemporary matters.

18.common ground (noun phrase)

English Meaning - shared opinions, beliefs (or interests).

19.“multi-vector” policy (noun)

English Meaning - it means a friendly & pragmatic foreign policy towards all key states.

20.play a part/role (phrase)

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

21.lofty (adjective)

English Meaning - tall, high, giant, imposing, magnificent.

22.engage (verb)

English Meaning - participate in, take part in, take part in, join in, become involved in, involve (a talk/discussion).

23.corridor (noun)

English Meaning - a strip/swathe of land linking two areas (particularly by a road).

24.rightful (adjective)

English Meaning - fair, impartial, unbiased, proper.

25.host (verb)

English Meaning - conduct, organize, arrange (an event).

26.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.

27.P-5 nations (noun)

English Meaning - the Security Council has five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States - collectively known as the P5.

28.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.

29.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. It has expanded its membership by inducting five new full members—Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

30.contingent (noun)

English Meaning - group, body, unit, delegation.

31.Nordic-Baltic cooperation (NB8) (noun)

English Meaning - it is a regional cooperation format which as of 1992 has brought together five Nordic countries and three Baltic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) in order to discuss important regional and international issues.

32.outreach (noun)

English Meaning - the level of reaching out/activity/effort; involvement.

33.ties (noun)

English Meaning - association, relationship, bond, connection.

34.oft- (prefix)

English Meaning - short for often.

35.dignitary (noun)

English Meaning - important/notable person, VIP, leader.

36.turn the spotlight on (phrase)

English Meaning - to call attention to something.

37.panel (noun)

English Meaning - committee, council, advisory body.

38.naval (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to a navy.

39.strive (verb)

English Meaning - try, try hard, aim, aspire, seek, struggle, make every effort.

40.balance (noun)

English Meaning - equilibrium, evenness, parity, symmetry.

41.variegated (adjective)

English Meaning - multicoloured, multicolour, colourful, rainbow-like; diverse, various, mixed, diversified, varied, sundry.

42.shed/cast/throw light on (phrase)

English Meaning - to explain something by providing more information; explain, elucidate, interpret, simplify, make clear, clarify, clear up.

43.democracy (noun)

English Meaning - a system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through fairly & freely elected representatives.

44.understandably (adverb)

English Meaning - agreeably, fairly, honestly, logically, understandably, reasonably, obviously, comprehensibly.

45.steer clear of (phrase)

English Meaning - avoid, shun, evade, dodge, eschew, sidestep, elude, circumvent, forgo, stay away from, keep away from.

46.vibrant (adjective)

English Meaning - spirited, lively, high-spirited, energetic, vigorous, dynamic, exciting, passionate, fiery, determined.

47.lack of (noun)

English Meaning - absence, non-existence, unavailability; deficiency, scarcity, dearth.

48.civil society organization (CSO) (noun)

English Meaning - non-governmental organizaiton (NGO); any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level.

49.discourse (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, conversation, communication, expression.

50.narrow (adjective)

English Meaning - narrow-minded, intolerant, illiberal, partisan, sectarian, discriminatory.

51.notably (adverb)

English Meaning - particularly, especially, markedly, significantly.

52.focus on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - emphasize, give emphasis to, highlight, accentuate, call attention to, pay attention to, draw attention to, zero in on, spotlight, give prominence to, bring to the fore.

53.Gaza (noun)

English Meaning - a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip. Gaza Strip is a self-governing Palestinian territory surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Egypt.

54.omission (noun)

English Meaning - deletion, elimination, exclusion, erasure, non-inclusion, negligence, neglect, oversight.

55.premier (adjective)

English Meaning - top, highest, main, leading, foremost, primary.

56.take something away (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - remove something; to reduce the value/ importance of (something).

57.sound (adjective)

English Meaning - well founded, reasonable, logical, credible, convincing.

58.observation (noun)

English Meaning - remark, comment, statement, pronouncement,

59.Global Public Square (noun)

English Meaning - A place to public interaction and discussion on international issues and foreign affairs.