Topic Of The Day:-“Transformative visit”
India assures Bangladesh on Teesta water sharing, as the two countries broadbase ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance to visiting Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of an “early resolution” to the Teesta water dispute has firmly brought the elephant in the room to the fore. Mr. Modi’s statement, made in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been widely welcomed. It defined both India’s commitment to the Teesta water-sharing agreement and the Central government’s commitment to working with the West Bengal government to conclude the agreement for which the framework was initialled in 2011. The holdout is clearly political; hence the resolution will only come from political dialogue, and must be forged quickly. Both governments would do well to understand the advice hidden in Sheikh Hasina’s message during a speech where she praised “all parties and all politicians” for coming together and clearing the land boundary agreement (LBA), to swap enclaves India and Pakistan held in each other’s territory, in 2015. “Like in 1971, the entire Indian people came together for Bangladesh for it [LBA],” Ms. Hasina said, stressing the need for bipartisanship to prevail in ties. Credit for the strength of the relationship should go also to the previous Manmohan Singh government. Dr. Singh and Ms. Hasina expended significant political capital to transform ties, particularly on cooperation on terrorism, and the frameworks for the land swap and water-sharing arrangements. Nevertheless, it is to the credit of both Mr. Modi and Ms. Hasina that India and Bangladesh were able to make progress on other issues such as energy cooperation and connectivity, signing a total of 22 agreements, with another 14 in the field of private investment and MoUs. The MoU on a framework for defence cooperation essentially formalised existing arrangements for defence exchanges, military training and high-level defence visits, while the agreement of cooperation on peaceful uses of nuclear energy endorsed the existing training programmes for Bangladeshi scientists at Indian facilities. India’s announcement of further lines of credit of $5 billion, including $500 million for defence purchases, the largest such LoC extended to any country so far, is important. In a context where connectivity is the new currency to extend one’s influence and where China is taking the lead with its Belt & Road initiative, India has chosen well to extend funds to rebuild old railway lines, and construct bridges, power plants, ports and roads in Bangladesh. Plans to revive inland waterway channels are also under way, and hold the potential to increase connectivity with Nepal and Bhutan. Not only will these measures strengthen the bonds with Bangladesh, with which India shares its longest international border as well as historical bonds, they will help India connect to itself, to the benefit especially of the northeastern States.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
14) Volition
Meaning: The faculty or power of using one’s will.
Example: They choose to leave early of their own volition.
Synonyms: Conation, Accord
Antonyms: Obligation, Cruelty
15) Monotheism
Meaning: The doctrine or belief that there is only one God.
Example: We brought monotheism to a pagan world, and guaranteed women’s rights in marriage.
Synonyms: Theism, Conviction
Antonyms: Polytheism, Pantheism
16) Tantamount
Meaning: Being almost the same or having the same effect as something, usually something bad.
Example: Her refusal to answer was tantamount to an admission of guilt.
Synonyms: Equivalent to, Identical
Antonyms: Different, Polar
17) Winsome
Meaning: Attractive and pleasing, with simple qualities, sometimes like those a child has.
Example: A winsome smile.
Synonyms: Appealing, Charming
18) Expunge
Meaning: To rub off or remove information from a piece of writing.
Example: His name has been expunged from the list of members.
Meaning: To cause something to be forgotten.
Example: She has been unable to expunge the details of the accident from her memory.
Synonyms: Abolish, Wipe out
Antonyms: Add, Create
19) Inculcate
Meaning: To fix beliefs or ideas in someone’s mind, especially by repeating them often.
Example: Our coach has worked hard to inculcate a team spirit in/into the players.
Synonyms: Instil, Brainwash
Antonyms: Learn, Neglect
20) Pecuniary
Meaning: Relating to or consisting of money.
Example: He admitted obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception.
Synonyms: Financial, Monetary
22) Annual: Occurring once every year.
Annul: Declare invalid (an official agreement, decision, or result).
23) Ascetic: Characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.
Aesthetic: Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.
24) Aspersion: An attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something.
Dispersion: The action or process of distributing things or people over a wide area.
25) Collaborate: To work with someone else for a special purpose.
Corroborate: To add proof to an account, statement, idea, etc. with new information.
26) chalk something up: achieve something noteworthy.;ascribe something to a particular cause.
28) Rife with: Full of something unpleasant.
29) Middle-of- the-road: Used to describe a person, organization, opinion, or type of entertainment that is not extreme and is acceptable to or liked by most people.
30) Run-of- the-mill: Ordinary and not special or exciting in any way.
