The Hindu Editorial (Diminishing returns) – Jul 06, 2023

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The Hindu Editorial (Diminishing returns) – Jul 06, 2023:

diminishing (adjective) – decreasing, reducing, shrinking.
return (noun) – yield, profit, gain, dividend.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) (noun) – The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation, the creation of which was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai (China). The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) and is seen as a counterweight to NATO (The North Atlantic Treaty Organization). It was established as a multilateral association to ensure security and maintain stability across the vast Eurasian region, join forces to counteract emerging challenges and threats, and enhance trade, as well as cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
engagement (noun) – association, involvement, participation.
council (noun) – board, panel, committee,
head of state (noun) – the leader of a country.
mark (verb) – indicate, signify, represent.
chair (verb) – lead, direct, preside over, be in charge of, be in control of.
summit (noun) – meeting, conference, conclave.
Eurasian (adjective) – relating to Eurasia (the total continental land mass of Europe and Asia combined).
make up (phrasal verb) – constitute, comprise, form, compose, represent.
Gross domestic product (GDP) (noun) – a measure of economic activity in a country. It is the total value of a country’s annual output of goods and service.
reserves (noun) – reserves are quantities of oil and gas that are already discovered, recoverable, and commercial.
natural gas (noun) – colourless, odorless highly flammable gaseous hydrocarbon consisting primarily of methane and ethane occurring naturally underground. It is a fossil fuel formed from the remains of plants and animals.
make up (phrasal verb) – make amends for, compensate for, atone for, counterweigh, counterbalance, neutralize.
aggression (noun) – hostility, belligerence, combativeness, warmongering, hawkishness.
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) (noun) – The Belt and Road Initiative, formerly known as One Belt One Road or OBOR for short, is a global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in nearly 71 countries and international organizations. It is also referred to as “21st century silk road”. From South-east Asia to Eastern Europe and Africa, Belt and Road includes 71 countries that account for half the world’s population and a quarter of global GDP.
exercise (noun) – activity, operations, manoeuvres.
interface (noun) – contact, connection, association, relation.
stated (adjective) – expressed, announced, specified.
multi-alignment (noun) – a series of parallel relationships that strengthen bilateral partnerships and seek a common approach towards security, economic equity and the elimination of existential dangers like terrorism. It is simply an alignment with multiple foreign powers.
strategic autonomy (noun) – the ability of a state (country) to pursue its national interests and adopt its preferred foreign policy without being constrained in any manner by other states (countries). In its pure form, strategic autonomy presupposes the state (country) in question possessing overwhelmingly superior power. This is what would enable that state (country) to resist the pressures that may be exerted by other states (countries) to compel it to change its policy or moderate its interests.
balancing power (noun) – (in international relations) the position and policy of a nation or group of nations protecting itself against another nation or group of nations by matching its power against the power of the other side.
revived (adjective) – restored, revitalized, renewed.
Quad/Quadrilateral (noun) – The ‘Quadrilateral’ is described as four democracies (the United States, Japan, Australia and India) with a shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.
take up (phrasal verb) – start to hold a position/post.
necessity (noun) – importance, top priority, exigency, seriousness.
neutral (adjective) – fair-minded, even-handed, non-participating, unaligned, impartial, unbiased, non-partisan.
rival (noun) – be comparable to/with, be a match for, bear comparison with, keep up with, keep pace with.
pomp (noun) – ritual, display/spectacle, ceremony.
G-20 (noun) – The G20, formed in 1999, is a group of twenty of the world’s largest economies that meets regularly to coordinate global policy on trade, health, climate, and other issues. It brings together the world’s major advanced and emerging economies. The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, EU, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, UK and USA. The G20 Countries together represent around 90% of global GDP, 80% of global trade, and two thirds of the world’s population.
given (preposition) – considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.
block (noun) – obstruction, impediment, hindrance, stoppage, barrier.
communique (noun) – official communication, official announcement message, statement, report, press release, bulletin, missive, advisory.
keen (adjective) – ready, prepared, interested in.
consensus (noun) – an idea or opinion that is shared by all the people in a group, agreement, concurrence.
negotiate (verb) – talk, hold talks, consult together.
counterpart (noun) – someone or something that has the same job or purpose as another; equivalent, equal, fellow.
turn into (phrasal verb) – change into something different.
virtual (adjective) – performing a task with the use of computer, especially over a network.
dampener (noun) – a thing has a subduing effect; (dampen means lessen, decrease, diminish, reduce, lower).
outcome (noun) – result, consequence, aftermath, effect.
Line of Actual Control (LAC) (noun) – the de-facto (effective) border between India and China. The LAC is a 4,057-km border running through three areas-Western (Ladakh, Ladakh (Kashmir)), middle (Uttarakhand, Himachal) and eastern (Sikkim, Arunachal).
hostility (noun) – opposition, conflict, resentment, enmity, aversion, antipathy.
grandstanding (noun) – a way of speaking or acting to get attention from the spectators (people) and then influencing them.
optics (noun) – the way in which something (political action/situation) is recognized by the general public.
hammer out (phrasal verb) – produce, bring about, forge, develop (a plan/agreement) after a lot of work.
New Delhi Declaration (SCO, 2023) (noun) – The Delhi Declaration, a comprehensive framework, outlines the Member States’ intent to strengthen cooperation across various domains such as politics, security, trade, economy, finance, investment, culture, and humanitarian ties. This effort aims to build a peaceful, safe, prosperous, and environmentally sustainable planet Earth, fostering harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.
radicalisation (noun) – the process of causing someone to follow radical (extreme) ways particularly in politics ( & society).
digital transformation (noun) – the use of digital technology to change, improve, enhance, and replace existing business processes.
endorse (verb) – support, recommend, favour, authorize, uphold.
road map (noun) – plan/strategy to do something successfully.
presumably (adverb) – probably, in all likelihood, undoubtedly, seemingly.
imprint (noun) – lasting impact, effect, influence, impression.
chairpersonship (noun) – the term of a chairperson.