PDF 18th Sept. 2016
Over the past week, India played host to Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani and Nepal’s
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, visits that marked a repair of relationships
with both countries. Mr. Prachanda’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi was cordial
(सौहादपू ण / मै ीपू ण), and though no large announcements were made, the message that’s gone
out is that both countries wish to put the bitterness (अ स नता/ कड़ु वापन) of the past year and
the economic blockade (अवरोध /
माग) behind them. New Delhi is acutely conscious of Mr.
Prachanda’s challenges: a potentially shaky tenure in office given his coalition’s (गठबंधन)
narrow majority, the difficulty in building a two-thirds consensus (मतै य/सहम त) for the
constitutional amendments he has committed to, as well as the massive task of reconstruction
after theApril 2015 earthquake. As a result, it didn’t force him to commit on a timeline for
amendments demanded by Madhesi and other groups that feel marginalized by the new
Constitution. The joint statement referred to Mr. Modi welcoming “the ongoing efforts of the
Government of Nepal to take all sections of the society on board for effective implementation of
the Constitution,” but it didn’t mention the word amendment. India instead focused on delivering
on its own promises to Nepal, including hydropower and highways infrastructure projects. This
shows a maturing of New Delhi’s position, since the phase of stern (कड़ा/कठोर/ककश) statements
against the Koirala and Oli governments on the Madhesi issue.
With Mr. Ghani, the outreach began a year ago, after it became clear that Afghanistan had lost
confidence in Pakistan’s ability to bring the Taliban to book or to the table for talks. Moreover,
the U.S., Afghanistan’s biggest security provider, made a shift in its old policy of cutting India
out of the security equation, and actively encouraged New Delhi to help provide military
assistance to Kabul. Even so, during Mr. Ghani’s visit, India opted for a less overt (अपरो / कट
/
य ) approach to Afghanistan’s ‘wish list’ of helicopters, tanks and ammunition
(यु ोपकरण) assistance, with the joint statement and agreements signed merely mentioning their
“resolve to counter terrorism and strengthen security and defense cooperation as envisaged
(प रकि पत/उि ल खत) in the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement.” Mention of
Pakistan’s support to terrorist groups was muted as well. However, Mr. Ghani did give a
scathing (स त/तीखा) account of Pakistan’s actions at a speech at a Delhi think tank later. The
Afghan and Nepali visits had another common thread, of landlocked countries in need of road
and railway trade routes. It is hoped that, going forward, India will take a leadership role in
maximizing their options, as it has done with Afghanistan through the Chabahar port project in
Iran.
1. Cordial (सौहादपू ण / मै ीपू ण)
Synonyms: Amicable, Jovial, Affectionate, Cheerful, Hearty
Antonyms: Unfriendly, Uncaring, Rude, Hostile
2. Bitterness (अ स नता/ कड़ु वापन)
Synonyms: Acrimony, Crabbedness, Displeasure, Unhappiness
Antonyms: Happiness, Sweetness, Geniality
3. Blockade (अवरोध /
माग)
Synonyms: Barricade, Hindrance, Obstruction, Impediment
Antonyms: Aid, Clearance, Assistance
4. Coalition (गठबंधन)
Synonyms: Alliance, Integration, Affiliation, Consolidation
Antonyms: Detachment, Separation, Division, Parting
5. Consensus (मतै य/सहम त)
Synonyms: Harmony, Unanimity, Consent, Unity
Antonyms: Denial, Disagreement, Discord
6. Stern (कड़ा/कठोर/ककश)
Synonyms: Harsh, Stringent, Gruff, Surly
Antonyms: Lenient, Kind, Gentle,
7. Overt (अपरो / कट/ य )
Synonyms: Apparent, Open, Clear, Visible, Observable,
Antonyms: Unclear, Hidden, Obscure
8. Ammunition (यु ोपकरण)
Synonyms: Armament, Arms, Weaponry,
9. Envisaged (प रकि पत/उि ल खत)
Synonyms: Presumed, Referred, Described, Mentioned
Antonyms: Disregard, Ignore
10. Scathing (स त/तीखा)
Synonyms: Harsh, Rigid, Scornful, Stringent, Rigid
Antonyms: Praising, Calm, Nice
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