The Hindu Editorial (Old traditions, new ties) – Jul 08, 2024

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The Hindu Editorial (Old traditions, new ties) – Jul 08, 2024:

ties (noun) – association, relationship, bond, connection.
reaffirm (verb) – state something again strongly.
hold (verb) – conduct, organize.
summit (noun) – meeting, conference, conclave (international meeting/conference of heads of state/government).
bilateral (adjective) – involving two groups or countries.
tenure (noun) – term, period of/in office; period, time, stint, spell.
break (verb) – fail to observe, fail to comply with, defy, breach, violate, ignore, disobey, disregard.
neighbouring (adjective) – adjacent, bordering, abutting, surrounding; nearby.
stand-alone (adjective) – private, separate, unconnected, independent.
launch (verb) – start, begin, initiate, usher in, embark on.
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.
growing (adjective) – increasing.
as a result of (phrase) – because of something.
given (preposition) – considering, taking into account, bearing in mind.
tensions (noun) – strained relations, strain, unease.
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).
scheduled (adjective) – planned (in accordance with a schedule); expected, awaited, anticipated
framework (noun) – structure, system, composition, scheme.
talks (noun) – dialogue, discussion, deliberation, consultation, parley, negotiation.
Gaganyaan mission (noun) – ISRO’s human spaceflight programme which will carry humans to space. The objective of Gaganyaan is to carry a crew of three to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), perform a set of predefined activities in space, and return them safely to a predefined destination on earth.
substantial (adjective) – considerable, sizeable, significant, large.
take stock of (phrase) – to review a situation carefully, usually before making a decision; assess, analyze, weigh up, appraise, evaluate, investigate, scrutinize, look carefully at.
sanctions (noun) – action taken, or an order given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.
fallout (noun) – adverse results/consequence; after-effects, repercussions.
make headway (phrase) – make progress, advance, proceed, get ahead.
assault rifle (noun) – assault weapon; It is originally built for military special operations as a fully automatic/semiautomatic weapon/firearm. (semi-automatic gun/rifle is a firearm (like AR-15, AK-47) which fires one round for each trigger pull, whereas “automatic rifle” is a firearm (such as MG-34, M16) which fires more than one cartridge with a single pull of the trigger. These firearms are often referred to as “assault weapons or rifles, based on their rapid-fire capability).
BrahMos (noun) – a two-stage missile with a solid propellant booster engine as its first stage which brings it to supersonic speed and then gets separated. The liquid ramjet or the second stage then takes the missile closer to 3 Mach speed in cruise phase. The BrahMos missile, an Indo-Russian joint venture, has a range of 290 km and is the fastest cruise missile in the world with a top speed of Mach 2.8 (nearly three times the speed of sound)
missile (noun) – a self-propelled/rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a conventional/nuclear explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed; projectile
reliability (noun) – dependability, trustworthiness, fidelity, faithfulness.
above all (phrase) – mainly, primarily, most importantly, especially, in essence.
geopolitical (adjective) – relating to (the study of) the geographical factors (a country’s position on the earth, size, climate, and natural resources &, etc.) in world politics and inter-state relations.
contrast (noun) – difference, distinction, contradiction, opposition, disparity, dissimilarity; opposite.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) (noun) – NATO was created in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.
trans-Atlantic (adjective) – concerning/relating to countries on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Indo-Pacific (region) (noun) – the Indo-Pacific region refers to the confluence (convergence) of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, which interconnect in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and more).
isolation (noun) – separation, remoteness, loneliness.
G-7 or Group of Seven (noun) – a multilateral forum made up of the world’s seven largest so-called developed countries: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. They meet annually to discuss and exchange ideas on a broad range of issues, including global economy, security and energy.
outreach (noun) – the level of reaching out/activity/effort; involvement.
delegation (noun) – delegates, (diplomatic) mission, representatives, deputation, envoys, emissaries, group.
Peace Conference OR the Summit on Peace in Ukraine (noun) – An international peace summit in relation to the Russo-Ukrainian War, formally called the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, was held in Bürgenstock Resort in Switzerland on 15–16 June 2024.
enduring (adjective) – lasting, long-lasting, continuing; long-standing.
commitment (noun) – dedication, adherence, obligation, responsibility, onus, liability, accountability.
stem from (verb) – originate from, come from, be rooted in, emanate from, flow from, proceed from, result from, be consequent on.
the Soviet Union (noun) – The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (also known as the USSR or the Soviet Union) consisted of Russia and 14 surrounding countries. The USSR’s territory stretched from the Baltic states in Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean, including the majority of northern Asia and portions of central Asia.
Soviet Union Peace and Friendship treaty (or) Indo-Soviet Treaty, 1971 (noun) – The Indo–Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation was a treaty signed between India and the Soviet Union in August 1971 that specified mutual strategic cooperation. It had a direct impact on the decisive battle between India and Pakistan in the eastern war theatre. The treaty expedited the Bangladesh War of Independence. The treaty was a significant deviation from India’s previous position of non-alignment in the Cold War and the prelude to the Bangladesh war. The Indo-Soviet treaty was later adopted as the India-Bangladesh Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in 1972.
treaty (noun) – agreement, deal, settlement, protocol, convention, contract.
condemn (verb) – denounce, criticize, censure, castigate, hit out at, discredit, find fault with, slam.
multilateral (adjective) – involving many different countries.
forum (noun) – meeting, conference, council, convention.
engage with (verb) – establish a significant connection with.
BRICS countries (plural noun) – the acronym coined to associate five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The BRICS members are known for their significant influence on regional affairs.
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.
all eyes are on something (phrase) – it means that everyone is paying careful attention to something and wait for what will happen.
multi-polar (adjective) – having many extremities.
unaligned (adjective) – neutral, non-participating, impartial, unbiased, non-partisan, fair-minded, even-handed, .
perch (noun) – precarious position, uncertain position, risky position (perch- sitting on tip/edge of something).
further (verb) – hasten, accelerate, push, expedite, step up, speed up, facilitate.
diplomacy (noun) – international politics, foreign affairs, foreign policy; negotiations, discussions, talks, dialogue (related to international politics).
hasten (verb) – accelerate, speed up, expedite, quicken, precipitate, make faster.
conflict (noun) – war, warfare, armed conflict, military action, armed clash.