THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- November 14, 2016- Topic 2
When India conducted its nuclear tests
in 1998, Japan was the country that took it the hardest: it put all political
exchanges with India on hold, froze aid and announced economic sanctions within
hours. A thaw in ties didn’t come until 2001, when sanctions were lifted. And
then, in 2009, the two countries began an annual strategic dialogue. This has
now come to fruition with the signing of the nuclear cooperation agreement in Tokyo during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
visit. The deal is critical to India’s renewable energy plans. Japanese
companies that produce cutting-edge reactor technology were previously not
allowed to supply parts to India. In addition, Japanese companies have
significant holdings in their U.S. and French partners negotiating for nuclear
reactors now, and that would have held up the deals. This is Japan’s first
nuclear deal with a non-signatory to the Non Proliferation Treaty, and it
recognises India’s exemplary record in nuclear prudence. It is indeed a
much-needed moral boost as New Delhi strives for membership in the Nuclear
Suppliers Group (NSG). The move will boost the meagre, and dipping, bilateral
trade of $15 billion, and lift the strategic military and defence relationship.
There are several riders to this rosy
prognosis, however. First, the nuclear deal has to be approved by Japan’s
Parliament. This will not be aided by unhelpful references such as those made
recently by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, about revisiting India’s
no-first-use nuclear weapons policy. In Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe may
face criticism that he extracted too few assurances from India on a nuclear
test ban. In India, Mr. Modi may be criticised for giving in too much, as a
note slipped into the agreement now accepts an emergency suspension of the deal
if India tests a weapon. The clock is ticking, and Mr. Abe must bring the deal
to Parliament in early 2017 to ensure that the commercial agreement for
Westinghouse’s six reactors in Andhra Pradesh that is due in June 2017 comes
through. This will also coincide with the next plenary of the NSG. Both New
Delhi and Tokyo must also be wary of the impact on Beijing of this new stage in
their ties. China has been hedging against deeper Japan-India ties in Asia by
investing in its relationship with Russia and Pakistan. As the two Asian rivals
to China, India and Japan might need the partnership even more in the days to
come, as the U.S. President-elect has indicated a lower level of interest in
“playing policeman” in the region.
Vocabulary
Hardest: solid, firm, and resistant to pressure; not easily broken, bent, or
pierced.
Example: A hard mattress
Synonyms: firm, solid, rigid, stiff, resistant, unbreakable, inflexible, impenetrable
Thaw: a period of warmer weather that thaws ice and snow.
Example: The thaw came yesterday afternoon
Synonyms: runoff, debacle, ice-out
Exemplary: serving as a desirable model; representing the best of its kind.
Example: An award for exemplary community service
Synonyms: perfect, ideal, model, faultless, flawless, impeccable, irreproachable
Prudence: the quality of being prudent; cautiousness.
Example: We need to exercise prudence in such important matters
Synonyms: wisdom, judgment, good judgment, common
sense, sense
Prognosis: the likely course of a disease or ailment.
Example: The disease has a poor prognosis
Hedging: surround or bound with a hedge.
Example: A garden hedged with yews
Synonyms: surround, enclose, encircle, ring, border, edge
Meagre: (of something provided or available) lacking in quantity or quality.
Example: They were forced to supplement their meager earnings
Synonyms: inadequate, scanty, scant, paltry, limited, restricted, modest, insufficient
Dipping: put or let something down quickly or briefly in or into (liquid).
Example: He dipped a brush in the paint
Synonyms: immerse, submerge, plunge, duck, dunk, lower, sink