Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Soured relations: On Trump’s 25% tariff, ‘penalty’

​Soured relations: On Trump’s 25% tariff, ‘penalty’

The higher U.S. tariffs place India at a relative (अपेक्षाकृत) disadvantage

The 25% tariff (शुल्क, आयात-कर) “plus penalty” on imports of Indian goods in the United States, announced by President Donald Trump, should have come as no surprise (कोई आश्चर्य नहीं) to India. Mr. Trump has, for a while now (कुछ समय से), been voicing (व्यक्त करना) his displeasure (नाराजगी, असंतोष) at India’s dealings (व्यापार, कारोबार) with Russia, with regard to (के संबंध में) energy dealings and military equipment. He has also been quite vocal (मुखर, स्पष्टवादी) about India’s high tariff and non-tariff barriers (it refer to any measures, other than customs tariffs, that regulate imports or exports into a country. Non-tariff barriers include embargoes, sanctions, and levies). These were the reasons he cited (invoke, mention, refer to, point to, adduce, turn to, resort to, have recourse to, use, put to use) in his announcement on Wednesday. Add to this these facts — first, U.S. Trade Representative (अमेरिका का व्यापार प्रतिनिधि) Jamieson Greer, as recently as Monday, had said that a trade deal with India needed “some more negotiations (बातचीत, समझौता)”, and second, Indian Commerce Ministry officials (अधिकारी) had stopped talking about a mini-deal for a while now. Thus (इस प्रकार, इसलिए), the writing on the wall (sign, signal, indication, warning, presage, portent, omen, augury, harbinger (that some catastrophe/disaster is going to happen)) was pretty clear: a deal before August 1 was not in the offing (likely to happen, on the way, coming soon, coming up, close at hand, imminent, on the horizon, in the wings, just around the corner, upcoming, forthcoming). The only uncertainty (अनिश्चितता, अस्थिरता) in this mix was the mercurial (unpredictable, volatile, erratic, inconsistent, irregular, capricious, temperamental, moody, fluctuating, variable, changeable) Trump, but he has finally made his position (स्थिति, दृष्टिकोण) clear. However, while there was an expectation that a mini-deal would not materialise (happen, occur, take place), something does seem (appear, look) to have shifted (change) in India-U.S. relations. This is showing up now in Mr. Trump’s language (wording, expression, rhetoric, manner of speaking, way of talking) — as a snide (insulting, disparaging, ridiculing, derogatory, scornful, hurtful) remark on Thursday about Pakistan selling oil to India in the future, or he, even more recently, calling the Indian economy “dead”. Whether this was him venting (express, let out, verbalize, release, emit, discharge) his frustration (anger, vexation, irritation, disappointment, dissatisfaction, depression) at not being able to secure a deal with India — after calling himself the “Dealmaker in Chief” — or whether something else has triggered (cause, lead to, bring about, give rise to, provoke, stir up) him is not clear yet. The fact is that (used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion) both sides have not budged (give way, give in, yield, compromise, retract, do U-turn, change one’s mind) from their core policies. The U.S. wants India to reduce its tariffs and provide market access across the board (applying to all) and India has held firm about ring-fencing (the process of protecting a specific group of assets by structurally separating them from other assets. the act of separating or isolating funds, assets, or operations to protect them from external risks or for a specific purpose) agriculture and dairy (relating to the products made from milk).

All of this makes negotiating (discuss terms, hold talks, discuss a settlement, talk, try to reach a compromise) a potential (possible, likely, probable) bilateral trade agreement (BTA) that much more complicated. Where government officials have constantly (continually, continuously, regularly, always) changed deadlines for a mini-deal, they have been remarkably (considerably, markedly, significantly, noticeably, distinctly, exceptionally) consistent about meeting the Fall (Fall season. other seasons are spring, summer and winter) deadline for the BTA. But now Mr. Trump has linked India’s dealings with Russia to India’s trade relations with the U.S. Who India does business with is a sovereign (self-determining, independent) matter, and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry rightfully reiterated (say something again; say again, repeat, retell, restate, iterate, recapitulate) its commitment (dedication, engagement, obligation, responsibility, onus, liability, accountability) to securing India’s national interest (common concerns (in politics/business)). On the other hand (on the contrary, In contrast, on the flip side, in opposition, conversely, contradictorily alternatively), the U.S. accounts for around a fifth of India’s exports. The 25% tariffs plus a yet-unknown penalty places India at a relative disadvantage when compared to competitors such as South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Trade associations representing several sectors have already voiced their concern (worry, disquiet, distress, apprehension, consideration). Indian negotiators (mediator, middleman, moderator, intermediary; representative, spokesperson, agent, diplomat, ambassador) will have to work doubly (extra, even more, especially, twice as, in double measure) hard to conclude an acceptable deal.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.tariff (noun)

Hindi Meaning - शुल्क, आयात-कर
English Meaning - a tax imposed by one country on the goods and services imported from another country.

2.relative (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अपेक्षाकृत
English Meaning - considerable, some, reasonable.

3.come as no surprise (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - कोई आश्चर्य नहीं
English Meaning - as expected.

4.for a while now (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - कुछ समय से
English Meaning - for some time up to the present moment.

5.voice (verb)

Hindi Meaning - व्यक्त करना
English Meaning - express, say, utter, state, vent.

6.displeasure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नाराजगी, असंतोष
English Meaning - annoyance, irritation, vexation, upset, anger, indignation; disapproval, dissatisfaction, discontent, disgruntlement.

7.dealing (noun)

Hindi Meaning - व्यापार, कारोबार
English Meaning - business, trading.

8.with regard to (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - के संबंध में
English Meaning - concerning, regarding, in terms of, in respect of, with reference to, relating to.

9.vocal (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - मुखर, स्पष्टवादी
English Meaning - vociferous, outspoken, forthright; relating to someone who expresses his/her views frankly.

10.negotiation (noun)

Hindi Meaning - बातचीत, समझौता
English Meaning - talks, discussion, discourse, debate, dialogue, deliberation, consultation.

11.U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अमेरिका का व्यापार प्रतिनिधि
English Meaning - a key federal agency within the U.S. government responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and overseeing trade negotiations with other countries.

12.officials (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अधिकारी
English Meaning - bureaucracy, authorities, officialdom, mandarins, functionaries, the people in charge.

13.thus (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - इस प्रकार, इसलिए
English Meaning - therefore, hence, as a result, accordingly.

14.uncertainty (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनिश्चितता, अस्थिरता
English Meaning - unpredictability, unreliability, riskiness/precariousness.

15.position (noun)

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

16.in the offing (phrase)

English Meaning - likely to happen, on the way, coming soon, coming up, close at hand, imminent, on the horizon, in the wings, just around the corner, upcoming, forthcoming.

17.materialise (verb)

English Meaning - happen, occur, take place.

18.soured (noun)

English Meaning - bitter, unpleasant, worsened, spoil, damaged, marred; angered, infuriated, alienated, estranged, enraged, outraged, disgruntled, disaffected.

19.tariff/trade barriers (noun)

English Meaning - taxes established by each country to restrict foreign trade.

20.trade barriers (noun)

English Meaning - government-induced restrictions on international trade.

21.non-tariff barriers (noun)

English Meaning - it refer to any measures, other than customs tariffs, that regulate imports or exports into a country. Non-tariff barriers include embargoes, sanctions, and levies.

22.cite (verb)

English Meaning - invoke, mention, refer to, point to, adduce, turn to, resort to, have recourse to, use, put to use.

23.add to this/that (phrase)

English Meaning - used to introduce more details to support to what you are saying.

24.the writing on the wall (phrase)

English Meaning - sign, signal, indication, warning, presage, portent, omen, augury, harbinger (that some catastrophe/disaster is going to happen).

25.in the mix (phrase)

English Meaning - practically involved in something (an activity, pursuit, process, etc.)

26.mercurial (adjective)

English Meaning - unpredictable, volatile, erratic, inconsistent, irregular, capricious, temperamental, moody, fluctuating, variable, changeable.

27.seem (verb)

English Meaning - appear, look.

28.shift (verb)

English Meaning - change.

29.show up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - expose, reveal, manifest, come to light.

30.language (noun)

English Meaning - wording, expression, rhetoric, manner of speaking, way of talking.

31.snide (adjective)

English Meaning - insulting, disparaging, ridiculing, derogatory, scornful, hurtful.

32.remark (noun)

English Meaning - mention, comment, statement, opinion.

33.call (verb)

English Meaning - term; describe as, regard as, consider to be.

34.vent (verb)

English Meaning - express, let out, verbalize, release, emit, discharge.

35.frustration (noun)

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

36.trigger (verb)

English Meaning - cause, lead to, bring about, give rise to, provoke, stir up.

37.the fact (is) that (phrase)

English Meaning - used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion.

38.budge (verb)

English Meaning - give way, give in, yield, compromise, retract, do U-turn, change one’s mind.

39.across the board (phrase)

English Meaning - applying to all.

40.hold firm (phrase)

English Meaning - continue to support something despite opposition.

41.ring-fencing (noun)

English Meaning - the process of protecting a specific group of assets by structurally separating them from other assets. the act of separating or isolating funds, assets, or operations to protect them from external risks or for a specific purpose.

42.dairy (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the products made from milk.

43.negotiate (verb)

English Meaning - discuss terms, hold talks, discuss a settlement, talk, try to reach a compromise.

44.potential (adjective)

English Meaning - possible, likely, probable.

45.Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) (noun)

English Meaning - a formal agreement/deal between two countries which outlines specific terms for trade, commerce, transit, or investment.

46.bilateral (adjective)

English Meaning - involving two groups or countries.

47.constantly (adverb)

English Meaning - continually, continuously, regularly, always.

48.remarkably (adverb)

English Meaning - considerably, markedly, significantly, noticeably, distinctly, exceptionally.

49.Fall (noun)

English Meaning - Fall season. other seasons are spring, summer and winter.

50.sovereign (adjective)

English Meaning - self-determining, independent.

51.reiterate (verb)

English Meaning - say something again; say again, repeat, retell, restate, iterate, recapitulate.

52.commitment (noun)

English Meaning - dedication, engagement, obligation, responsibility, onus, liability, accountability.

53.interest (noun)

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

54.on the other hand (phrase)

English Meaning - on the contrary, In contrast, on the flip side, in opposition, conversely, contradictorily alternatively.

55.account for (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - constitute, make up, comprise, form, compose, represent.

56.concern (noun)

English Meaning - worry, disquiet, distress, apprehension, consideration.

57.negotiator (noun)

English Meaning - mediator, middleman, moderator, intermediary; representative, spokesperson, agent, diplomat, ambassador.

58.doubly (adverb)

English Meaning - extra, even more, especially, twice as, in double measure.