PARAGRAPH, WORDS AND MEANING
PARAHRAPH OF THE DAY –
Outcomes –
The summit’s outcomes may have been limited but are very valuable to stabilise the relationship. The most significant outcome pertains to the contested border. In Wuhan, Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi “underscored the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in all areas of the India-China border region… To this end, they issued strategic guidance to their respective militaries to strengthen communication in order to build trust and mutual understanding and enhance predictability and effectiveness in the management of border affairs”, and “directed their militaries to earnestly implement various confidence building measures agreed upon between the two sides”. This basically means that the two countries have realised that local military activities on the border and tactical factors can have strategic and political implications — and that not everything that happens on the India-China border between the two militaries is politically sanctioned. That border tensions, which often occur without the explicit directives of the central leaderships, can potentially derail the relationship is an important realisation and the two sides should be credited for addressing it. For sure, this is not a new realisation. In 2013, New Delhi and Beijing signed the border defence cooperation agreement which aimed at maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control. In 2015, during Mr. Modi’s visit to China, the two countries further agreed to “carry out annual visits and exchanges between the two Military Headquarters and neighbouring military commands, endeavour to operationalise the hotline between the two Military Headquarters, expand the exchanges between the border commanders, and establish border personnel meeting points at all sectors of the India-China border areas”. Many of these suggested measures have not yet been implemented, most notably, the hotline between the two military headquarters. Moreover, lower-level military contacts that have been put in place have not been able to reduce friction, as was evident during Doklam. Given that the two countries recognise the importance of controlling local military standoffs, it is important that they update the 2013 defence cooperation agreement as well as set up the hotline. Meanwhile, the proposed joint economic project in Afghanistan could be instrumental in mitigating the trust deficit between the two sides. China is acutely aware of the potential Pakistani negative response to India-China cooperation in what Pakistan considers to be its sphere of influence. However, if China can persuadePakistan to see the utility of India-China (and potentially Pakistan) collaboration in Afghanistan, it could promote trust and cooperation all around. More significantly, if China and India can cooperate in Afghanistan, they can certainly do so in other parts of the neighbourhood. In that sense, then, India, instead of being agitated about Chinese ‘encroachments’ into its traditional sphere of influence, should consider joint India-China projects in the region.
Going forward –
Notwithstanding the positive outcome of the Wuhan summit, it must be asked whether the summit has come too late in Mr. Modi’s current term as Prime Minister to herald a new beginning between India and China, especially on the border question. China watchers argue that the broad contours of an India-China border agreement have been worked out during the 20 rounds of talks at the Special Representatives level. However, an agreement can only be arrived at a higher political level. While Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi, both with strong domestic political standing, would be able to reach such an agreement, and use it to further consolidate their domestic appeal, will Mr. Modi take that gamble? If not, weren’t the ministerial visits that were already taking place and Mr. Modi’s upcoming visit to China in June for the SCO summit enough to sustain the thaw? The answer perhaps lies in Mr. Modi’s keen eye for the optics and its domestic political utility.
WORDS AND MEANINGS –
Underscored
Meaning: Emphasize.
Example: “the company underscored the progress made with fuel cells”
Tranquillity
Meaning: The quality or state of being tranquil; calm.
Example: “passing cars are the only noise that disturbs the tranquility of rural life”
Synonyms: Peace, Repose
Antonyms: Commotion
Enhance
Meaning: Intensify, increase, or further improve the quality, value, or extent of.
Example: “his refusal does nothing to enhance his reputation”
Synonyms: Increase, Intensify
Antonyms: Diminish, Mar
Implications
Meaning: The action or state of being involved in something.
Example: “our implication in the problems”
Synonyms: Involvement, Connection
18) Realisation
Meaning: The achievement of something desired or anticipated.
Example: “he did not live to see the realization of his dream”
Synonyms: Fulfilment, Achievement
Mitigating
Meaning: Make (something bad) less severe, serious, or painful.
Example: “drainage schemes have helped to mitigate this problem”
Synonyms: Alleviate, Reduce
Antonyms: Aggravate, Increase
20) Acutely
Meaning: (with reference to something unpleasant or unwelcome) intensely.
Example: “the whole situation was acutely embarrassing”
Synonyms: Extremely, Exceedingly
Antonyms: Slightly
Persuade
Meaning: To make someone do or believe something by giving them a good reason to do it or by talking to that person and making them believe it.
Example: If she doesn’t want to go, nothing you can say will persuade her.
Synonyms: Incline, Cajole
Agitated
Meaning: Campaign to arouse public concern about an issue in the hope of prompting action; make (someone) troubled or nervous.
Example: “they agitated for a reversal of the decision”
Synonyms: Fight, Struggle
Encroachments
Meaning: A gradual advance beyond usual or acceptable limits.
Example: “urban encroachment of habitat”
Herald
Meaning: Be a sign that (something) is about to happen.
Example: “the speech heralded a change in policy”
Synonyms: Signal, Indicate
Consolidate
Meaning: Combine (a number of things) into a single more effective or coherent whole.
Example: “all manufacturing activities have been consolidated in new premises”
Synonyms: Combine, Unite
