Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Bullying tactics: On India pushing back against the U.S., the EU

​Bullying tactics: On India pushing back against the U.S., the EU

India cannot allow the U.S. or EU to decide its choice of trade partners

After months of considerable (बहुत अधिक, काफी) forbearance (सहनशीलता, संयम), the statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on Monday (August 4, 2025), pushing back (विरोध करना, प्रतिकार करना) against the U.S. and the European Union (EU) for “targeting” India is significant. The statement came two hours after Mr. Trump had announced penalty tariffs (दंडात्मक शुल्क) against India, “substantially (काफी हद तक)” above the current 25% rate set to go into place (लागू होना, प्रभावी होना) this week, for importing, processing and selling Russian oil. A day earlier, a senior Trump aide had accused (आरोप लगाना) India of “financing” Russia’s war in Ukraine. And on July 18, 2025, the EU had announced sanctions (प्रतिबंध) on India’s Vadinar refinery (Located in Vadinar in Gujarat, the facility is India’s second-largest single-site refinery, with a nameplate capacity of 20 million metric tonnes per annum (~405,000 barrels per day). It is majority-managed by Nayara Energy, with Russia’s Rosneft holding a ~49% stake) (partially Russian owned), and secondary sanctions that will affect Indian refiners. The MEA spokesperson said that the measures (उपाय, कदम) were “unjustified (अनुचित, बेबुनियाद) and unreasonable” as the U.S. and the EU continue to trade with Russia for goods including LNG, critical minerals (महत्वपूर्ण खनिज) and nuclear fuel requirements. The statement also said that it was the U.S. that had encouraged India to keep buying Russian oil to stabilise global markets, something the Biden administration had confirmed. The government said that in comparison to the western countries, India’s Russian oil purchases are a “vital (महत्वपूर्ण, अति आवश्यक) national compulsion (need, necessity)” as a result of (के परिणामस्वरूप, की वजह से) the conflict (war, warfare, armed conflict, military action, armed clash) in Ukraine, adding that India would “... safeguard (protect, defend, shield, look after) its national interests (common concerns (in politics/business)) and economic security”. The MEA’s statement is the first such clear response on the issue since the Ukraine conflict. Taken with (to be taken with something or someone means you feel interested and/or attracted toward it) Union Minister Piyush Goyal’s statement last week on the U.S. announcement of 25% reciprocal tariffs (a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country) on India from August 7, Monday’s statement indicates New Delhi’s growing (increasing) frustration (anger, vexation, irritation, disappointment, dissatisfaction, depression) with the U.S.’s increasingly (more and more, steadily more, continuously more, gradually more) offensive (attacking, aggressive, combative, warlike, threatening, belligerent, bellicose) positions (stand, stance, perspective, attitude, point of view, viewpoint) against India, including on immigration (the act of leaving one’s countries and moving to another country of which they are not natives, nor citizens, to settle or reside there, especially as permanent residents or naturalized citizens), trade negotiations (discussion, discourse, debate, dialogue, deliberation, talk, parley), Operation Sindoor and Pakistan, and India’s BRICS membership. It is unclear how and to what extent (level, degree) the government is prepared to stand up to (oppose, defy, confront, challenge, resist, take on, withstand) the bullying (धमकाने वाला, डराने) tactics of Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump said on Tuesday that India has not been a “good trading partner” — a possible (likely, probable) reference (instance, remark, citation, mention, comment) to trade talks (discussion, discourse, debate, dialogue, deliberation, negotiation, parley) and the failure of a mini-deal, ostensibly (in a way that something appears or is officially stated to be true/real, but it might not be; apparently, seemingly, allegedly, professedly, supposedly, purportedly) over India’s resistance (opposition, confrontation, defiance, fight; refusal to accept, reluctance to accept; ability to fight back) on agricultural market access, dairy (relating to the products made from milk) products and GM foods.

While it is hoped that New Delhi will continue to engage (deal with, participate in, take part in, take part in, join in, become involved in, involve (a talk/discussion)) Washington and Brussels (The capital of Belgium; The headquarters of the NATO; The headquarters of the European Union) to conclude their respective (corresponding, relevant) trade talks, the MEA statement is meant to make a larger point. Neither the U.S. nor the EU can decide which country India will partner or trade with. That message is being underlined (underscore, emphasize, highlight, stress, call/draw attention to) in visits by Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Moscow, to prepare for the Russian President’s visit to India later this year. India’s sovereignty (autonomy, independence, self-government, self-rule, self-legislation, self-determination, self-governance, freedom, liberty) is non-negotiable (inviolable, undebatable, unchallengeable) and its foreign policy choices cannot be manipulated (exploit, influence, engineer, orchestrate, choreograph, use to one’s advantage) by other countries, no matter (regardless of) how significant their own ties (association, relationship, bond, connection) with India are.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.bullying (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - धमकाने वाला, डराने
English Meaning - aggressive, forceful, strong-arm, domineering, coercive, oppressive, threatening, frightening, browbeating, intimidatory.

2.push back (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - विरोध करना, प्रतिकार करना
English Meaning - oppose, resist, defy, refute, repel, rebuff, rebuke, force back, withstand.

3.considerable (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - बहुत अधिक, काफी
English Meaning - substantial, sizeable, significant, large.

4.forbearance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सहनशीलता, संयम
English Meaning - tolerance, toleration, patience, self-restraint, self-control.

5.penalty tariffs (noun)

Hindi Meaning - दंडात्मक शुल्क
English Meaning - extra taxes or duties imposed by a country on imported goods as a punishment or retaliation—usually to address unfair trade practices or political disputes.

6.substantially (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - काफी हद तक
English Meaning - significantly, considerably, appreciably.

7.go into place (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - लागू होना, प्रभावी होना
English Meaning - to start being applied, or put into effect.

8.accuse (verb)

Hindi Meaning - आरोप लगाना
English Meaning - criticize, condemn, point the finger at, blame for.

9.sanctions (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिबंध
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.

10.measure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उपाय, कदम
English Meaning - action, step, course of action, procedure.

11.unjustified (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अनुचित, बेबुनियाद
English Meaning - excessive, too much, disproportionate, needless, unreasonable, undue, inappropriate, unneeded, extreme, immoderate.

12.Liquefied natural gas (LNG) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - तरलीकृत प्राकृतिक गैस
English Meaning - Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid state, at about -260° Fahrenheit (-162.2° C), for shipping and storage.

13.critical minerals (noun)

Hindi Meaning - महत्वपूर्ण खनिज
English Meaning - critical minerals are non-fuel minerals or mineral materials essential to the economic or national security of a country and which have a supply chain vulnerable to disruption. Critical minerals are also characterized as serving an essential function in the manufacturing of a product, the absence of which would have significant consequences for the economy or national security. Examples of critical minerals include lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, rare earth elements, graphite, and certain platinum group metals (PGMs).

14.vital (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - महत्वपूर्ण, अति आवश्यक
English Meaning - all-important, critical, urgent, pressing, imperative.

15.as a result of (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के परिणामस्वरूप, की वजह से
English Meaning - because of, owing to, for the reason that, by virtue of, on account of, due to, in view of.

16.aide (noun)

English Meaning - assistant, advisor.

17.set (to) (verb)

English Meaning - prepare, arrange, make ready.

18.compulsion (noun)

English Meaning - need, necessity.

19.tariff (noun)

English Meaning - a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country.

20.Vadinar refinery (noun)

English Meaning - Located in Vadinar in Gujarat, the facility is India’s second-largest single-site refinery, with a nameplate capacity of 20 million metric tonnes per annum (~405,000 barrels per day). It is majority-managed by Nayara Energy, with Russia’s Rosneft holding a ~49% stake.

21.conflict (noun)

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

22.safeguard (verb)

English Meaning - protect, defend, shield, look after.

23.interest (noun)

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

24.financial/economic security (noun)

English Meaning - the ability to maintain a standard of living through a stable income or other resources, both now and in the future.

25.taken with (phrase)

English Meaning - to be taken with something or someone means you feel interested and/or attracted toward it.

26.reciprocal tax (noun)

English Meaning - a tax imposed by one country on imports from another country in response to similar tariffs. The tariffs aim to match or offset tariffs and other trade barriers imposed on US goods by foreign nations.

27.counter-tariff (or) retaliatory tariff (noun)

English Meaning - punitive tariff; an extra tariff/tax that a country charges on import goods from another country to punish the another country for charging tax on its own export goods.

28.growing (adjective)

English Meaning - increasing.

29.frustration (noun)

English Meaning - anger, vexation, irritation, disappointment, dissatisfaction, depression.

30.increasingly (adverb)

English Meaning - more and more, steadily more, continuously more, gradually more.

31.offensive (adjective)

English Meaning - attacking, aggressive, combative, warlike, threatening, belligerent, bellicose.

32.position (noun)

English Meaning - stand, stance, perspective, attitude, point of view, viewpoint.

33.immigration (noun)

English Meaning - the act of leaving one’s countries and moving to another country of which they are not natives, nor citizens, to settle or reside there, especially as permanent residents or naturalized citizens.

34.negotiation (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, discourse, debate, dialogue, deliberation, talk, parley.

35.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. On 1 January 2024, BRICS admitted four new members: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has joined Brics, the alliance of major developing countries, along with four other nations.

36.extent (noun)

English Meaning - level, degree.

37.stand up to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - oppose, defy, confront, challenge, resist, take on, withstand.

38.possible (adjective)

English Meaning - likely, probable.

39.reference (noun)

English Meaning - instance, remark, citation, mention, comment.

40.talks (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, discourse, debate, dialogue, deliberation, negotiation, parley.

41.ostensibly (adverb)

English Meaning - in a way that something appears or is officially stated to be true/real, but it might not be; apparently, seemingly, allegedly, professedly, supposedly, purportedly

42.resistance (noun)

English Meaning - opposition, confrontation, defiance, fight; refusal to accept, reluctance to accept; ability to fight back.

43.dairy (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the products made from milk.

44.genetically modified (GM) foods (noun)

English Meaning - foods that have been genetically modified.

45.engage (with) (verb)

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

46.Brussels (proper noun)

English Meaning - The capital of Belgium; The headquarters of the NATO; The headquarters of the European Union.

47.respective (adjective)

English Meaning - corresponding, relevant.

48.make a point (phrase)

English Meaning - to give one’s focus to (doing something); to take care in doing something; to pay attention or ensure that something is done

49.underline (verb)

English Meaning - underscore, emphasize, highlight, stress, call/draw attention to.

50.National Security Adviser (NSA) (noun)

English Meaning - the central co-ordinator and adviser to the prime minister/president and cabinet on security, intelligence, defence, and some foreign policy matters. They are based in the Cabinet Office and work across departments to bring together a coherent national security strategy that fits with the government’s priorities.

51.sovereignty (noun)

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

52.non-negotiable (adjective)

English Meaning - inviolable, undebatable, unchallengeable.

53.manipulate (verb)

English Meaning - exploit, influence, engineer, orchestrate, choreograph, use to one’s advantage.

54.no matter (phrase)

English Meaning - regardless of.

55.ties (noun)

English Meaning - association, relationship, bond, connection.