Topic Of The Day:-“Chabahar tidings: on Indian taking over port operations in Iran“
As India Takes Over Operations In The Iranian Port, The Possibilities And Challenges Are Huge
The opening of the first office of Indian Ports Global Limited at Iran’s Chabahar and the takeover of operations of the Shahid Beheshti port is a milestone in India’s regional connectivity and trade game plan. Chabahar port opens up a permanent alternative route for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia, given the hurdles in the direct route through Pakistan. It facilitates India’s role in Afghanistan’s development through infrastructure and education projects. And it gives India’s bilateral ties with Iran, a major oil supplier and potential trade market for India, a big fillip. India has helped develop the Shahid Beheshti port with these outcomes in mind, and has been given the contract to manage it for 18 months. It will be important to operationalise the port quickly and smoothen the route to Afghanistan. The decision by India, Afghanistan and Iran to hold an international event in February 2019 to promote Chabahar and to study ways to make the route more attractive and decrease logistic costs is timely. About 500 companies have registered with the Free Trade Zone authority there. While keeping timelines and delivery of New Delhi’s commitments will be key to the port becoming a regional hub for transit trade, steel and petrochemicals, it will be necessary to encourage Afghan companies to use the route more, in line with President Ashraf Ghani’s desire to have a commercial fleet under the Afghan flag setting sail from Chabahar.
Visions of Chabahar’s immense potential as a game-changer for prosperity and stability in the region must, however, necessarily be tempered by the reality of geopolitical challenges. The Chabahar port has received a waiver from the U.S. sanctions on Iran for the moment, but these concessions could be withdrawn any time, given the constant upheaval in the administration. The possibility of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, after the pullout from Syria, will add to security concerns for Afghanistan and impact on the Chabahar route as well. Meanwhile, the reconciliation process with the Afghan Taliban is likely to see the regional powers, the U.S. and Russia engaging Pakistan more. This could give Islamabad space to play spoiler in Chabahar, which is seen as a rival warm water port to Pakistan’s Gwadar. That the Afghanistan government is hedging its bets on trade via Chabahar too is clear: in recent months, special cargo corridors have been opened with China, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Europe, Russia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, with more trade diverted through them than with traditional partners Pakistan and India. With Chabahar, India has done well to keep a place in the intricate connectivity network of the registay ahead in this game.on. Given all the competing interests that criss-cross over Chabahar, it will require sustained and nuanced diplomacy to stay ahead in this game.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
1) hurdles
Meaning : a problem or difficulty that must be overcome.(n)
Tamil Meaning : தடைகளை
Synonyms : difficulty
Antonyms : assistance
Example : “many would like to emigrate to the United States, but face formidable hurdles”
2) bilateral
Meaning : having or relating to two sides; affecting both sides.(adj)
Tamil Meaning : இருதரப்பு
Synonyms : mutual
Antonyms : multilateral
Example : “bilateral hearing”
3) fillip
Meaning : something which acts as a stimulus or boost to an activity.
Tamil Meaning : ஊக்கம்
Synonyms : charge
Antonyms : deterrence
Example : “the halving of car tax would provide a fillip to sales”
4) logistic
Meaning : relating to or involving organization and planning.
Synonyms : operational
Example : “logistical problems”
5) transit
Meaning : the action of passing through or across a place.
Synonyms : transport
Antonyms : hold
Example :”Guatemala is to have freedom of transit across Belize
6) desire
Meaning : a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.(n)
Tamil Meaning : ஆசை
Synonyms : ambition
Antonyms : disgust
Example : “he resisted public desires for choice in education”
7) fleet
Meaning : a number of vehicles or aircraft operating together or under the same ownership.
Synonyms : speedy
Antonyms : slow
Example : “a fleet of ambulances took the injured to hospital”
8) immense
Meaning : extremely large or great, especially in scale or degree.
Tamil Meaning : மகத்தான
Synonyms : endless
Antonyms : insignificant
Example : “the cost of restoration has been immense”
9) prosperity
Meaning : the state of being prosperous.(n)
Tamil Meaning : செழிப்பு
Synonyms : benefit
Antonyms : decrease
Example : “a long period of peace and prosperity”
10) tempered
Meaning : having a specified temper or disposition.
Tamil Meaning : கோபம்
Synonyms : abate
Antonyms : aggravate
Example : “ill-tempered”
11) waiver
Meaning : make (a problem, injury, or offence) worse or more serious.
Tamil Meaning : தீவிரமடைய
Synonyms : provoke
Antonyms : delight
Example : “military action would only aggravate the situation”
12) concessions
Meaning : a thing that is granted, especially in response to demands.
Tamil Meaning : சலுகை
Synonyms : compromise
Antonyms : disagreement
Example : “the government was unwilling to make any further concessions”
13) upheaval
Meaning : a violent or sudden change or disruption to something.(n)
Tamil Meaning : கொந்தளிப்பை
Synonyms : disruption
Antonyms : success
Example : “major upheavals in the financial markets”
14) concerns
Meaning : relate to; be about.
Tamil Meaning : கவலை
Synonyms : involvement
Antonyms : entertainment
Example : “the story concerns a friend of mine”
15) reconciliation
Meaning : the restoration of friendly relations.
Tamil Meaning : சமரசம்
Synonyms : agreement
Antonyms : dissension
Example : “his reconciliation with your uncle”
16) hedging
Meaning : the planting or trimming of hedges.
Tamil Meaning : ஏற்படுத்துவதற்கான
Synonyms : fudge
Antonyms : face
Example : “contract work for hedging and ditching”
17) diverted
Meaning : cause (someone or something) to change course or turn from one direction to another.(v)
Tamil Meaning : திருப்பி
Synonyms : amused
Antonyms : bored
Example : “a scheme to divert water from the river to irrigate agricultural land”
18) intricate
Meaning : very complicated or detailed.(adj)
Tamil Meaning : சிக்கலான
Synonyms : convoluted
Antonyms : apparent
Example : “an intricate network of canals”
19) threatened
Meaning : state one’s intention to take hostile action against (someone) in retribution for something done or not done.
Tamil Meaning : அச்சுறுத்தப்பட்ட
Synonyms : exposed
Antonyms : guarded
Example : “how dare you threaten me?”
20) sustained
Meaning : continuing for an extended period or without interruption.(adj)
Tamil Meaning : நீடித்த
Synonyms : continued
Antonyms : ending
Example : “several years of sustained economic growth”
21) nuanced
Meaning : characterized by subtle shades of meaning or expression(adj).
Tamil Meaning : நம்பக்கூடிய
Synonyms : distinction
Antonyms : brightness
Example : “Lowe’s work has gradually grown more nuanced”
