Title: Nicobar triangle: on the ₹72,000-crore project on Great Nicobar Island

The Union Tribal Affairs Ministry will be looking into the forest clearance paperwork of the ₹72,000-crore infrastructure project on Great Nicobar Island, a major initiative of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram told this newspaper. This is a significant step for the government, in its third term, as it brings to the surface the contentious and difficult choices that governments face while addressing the trilemma of infrastructure development, preserving pristine biodiversity respect and, being sensitive to the rights of the indigenous inhabitants, and tribals. The Great Nicobar Project involves developing a trans-shipment port, an international airport, township development, and a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant on the island. The project area is expected to cover over 130 sq. km. of pristine forest, and has been accorded a stage-1 environmental clearance — one of the mandatory prerequisites — by an expert committee. The government told Parliament in August 2023 that 9.6 lakh trees could be felled and ‘compensatory afforestation,’ for the loss of this unique rainforest ecosystem, had been planned, thousands of kilometres away, in the vastly different ecological zone of Haryana. The Galathea Bay in the Nicobar Islands hosts multiple rare species including the leatherback turtle, and the project imperils their future.

The government contends that its motive is to leverage the strategic location with the Great Nicobar Island located only 90 km away from the western tip of the Malacca Strait, an important shipping route between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. However, critics and some of the government’s policy advisers suggest that tourism is a key imperative for the exercise. The Environment Ministry, which is a regulator of environmental policy, has opted to be secretive about the project. Details on the environmental clearance process and the appraisal process, usually a public document, have been kept under wraps. There also seems to be haste on the part of the island administration to proceed while ignoring the rights of the local tribes — the Shompen in particular — regarding consent. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, a constitutional body, has demanded an explanation from the district administration on these grounds. The National Green Tribunal had tasked a committee, headed by the Secretary of the Environment Ministry, to submit a report on the approval of forest clearances. This too is not public. Without transparency, it would be foolhardy for the government to attempt such a massive upheaval of the islands and it should, with its new mandate, immediately correct course.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Pristine	The word “pristine” typically means being in an original, unspoiled, or clean condition. It can describe something that is untouched, pure, or in its most perfect state.	UntouchedUnspoiledPureImmaculate	DirtyTarnishedSpoiledImpure
Prerequisites	“Prerequisites” are requirements that must be met before proceeding to a subsequent step or level. The term is often used in various contexts such as education, work, and technical fields.	RequirementsConditionsPreconditionsQualifications	OptionsChoicesLuxuriesNonessentials
Leverage	The term “leverage” has several meanings depending on the context, but it generally involves using something to maximum advantage.	AdvantageInfluencePowerAuthority	DisadvantageWeaknessPowerlessnessImpotence

Title:New Cold War: On the Russia-North Korea security pact, its likely fallout

The security pact reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, in which both countries promised mutual assistance “in the event of aggression”, has echoes from the Cold War era. Russia and North Korea, erstwhile allies, are facing biting sanctions, but for different reasons. And, both are at odds with the West. Now, they seem determined to revive the alliance so that they can stand up to the western-led global order together. Mr. Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, his first in 24 years, itself marked a new beginning. The Russian leader has supported multilateral efforts to curb the North’s nuclear programme in the past. Moscow has also voted for sanctions at the UN Security Council against Pyongyang over its nuclear arsenals. But the Ukraine war appears to have altered Kremlin’s geopolitical arithmetic and provided an opportunity for Pyongyang to make itself useful as an ally. When the Ukraine war dragged on and Russia came under western sanctions, Mr. Putin turned to Mr. Kim for ammunition and ballistic missiles. After Mr. Kim’s visit to Russia in September 2023, North Korea reportedly supplied ammunition to Russia. Moscow stepped up supplies of food and fuel, and there was speculation that it could help the North’s defence sector with critical technologies. While both have rejected reports of weapons trade, the security pact clearly elevates ties to the level of a de facto alliance.

Ever since the Ukraine war, Mr. Putin has steadily expanded Russia’s cooperation with countries that are at odds with the U.S. He reportedly bought kamikaze drones from Iran. China has also emerged as a key economic, technological and energy partner. And, by promising to help North Korea, an isolated, one-family-ruled totalitarian state that is still technically at war with South Korea, in the event of an attack, Russia has signalled its readiness to play a larger role in northeast Asia. Mr. Putin, essentially a cold warrior, wants to build an axis of the ‘others’ opposed by the West to expedite the churn in the global order. China remains cautious but seems fine with the idea of its closest partners challenging the western order. This will have far-reaching geopolitical consequences. North Korea will now have little incentive to discuss denuclearisation. Russia, which already has testy ties with Japan, could see its relationship with South Korea deteriorating. The agreement is also likely to strengthen the emerging tripartite partnership in East Asia among Japan, South Korea and the U.S., further solidifying the new cold war between great powers, which is still in its early stages.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Expedite	The term “expedite” means to speed up the process of something or to make an action or process happen more quickly and efficiently.	AccelerateHastenQuickenRush	DelayHinderSlow downImpede
Deteriorating	“Deteriorating” refers to the process of becoming progressively worse. It describes a decline in quality, condition, or function over time.	DecliningWorseningDegeneratingDegrading	ImprovingEnhancingUpgradingStrengthening

Title: New Cold War: On the Russia-North Korea security pact, its likely fallout

The security pact reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, in which both countries promised mutual assistance “in the event of aggression”, has echoes from the Cold War era. Russia and North Korea, erstwhile allies, are facing biting sanctions, but for different reasons. And, both are at odds with the West. Now, they seem determined to revive the alliance so that they can stand up to the western-led global order together. Mr. Putin’s visit to Pyongyang, his first in 24 years, itself marked a new beginning. The Russian leader has supported multilateral efforts to curb the North’s nuclear programme in the past. Moscow has also voted for sanctions at the UN Security Council against Pyongyang over its nuclear arsenals. But the Ukraine war appears to have altered Kremlin’s geopolitical arithmetic and provided an opportunity for Pyongyang to make itself useful as an ally. When the Ukraine war dragged on and Russia came under western sanctions, Mr. Putin turned to Mr. Kim for ammunition and ballistic missiles. After Mr. Kim’s visit to Russia in September 2023, North Korea reportedly supplied ammunition to Russia. Moscow stepped up supplies of food and fuel, and there was speculation that it could help the North’s defence sector with critical technologies. While both have rejected reports of weapons trade, the security pact clearly elevates ties to the level of a de facto alliance.

Ever since the Ukraine war, Mr. Putin has steadily expanded Russia’s cooperation with countries that are at odds with the U.S. He reportedly bought kamikaze drones from Iran. China has also emerged as a key economic, technological and energy partner. And, by promising to help North Korea, an isolated, one-family-ruled totalitarian state that is still technically at war with South Korea, in the event of an attack, Russia has signalled its readiness to play a larger role in northeast Asia. Mr. Putin, essentially a cold warrior, wants to build an axis of the ‘others’ opposed by the West to expedite the churn in the global order. China remains cautious but seems fine with the idea of its closest partners challenging the western order. This will have far-reaching geopolitical consequences. North Korea will now have little incentive to discuss denuclearisation. Russia, which already has testy ties with Japan, could see its relationship with South Korea deteriorating. The agreement is also likely to strengthen the emerging tripartite partnership in East Asia among Japan, South Korea and the U.S., further solidifying the new cold war between great powers, which is still in its early stages.

 

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Speculation	Speculation refers to the act of forming opinions or conjectures about something without having firm evidence. It often involves making educated guesses or hypotheses about future events or outcomes based on limited or uncertain information.	ConjectureGuessworkHypothesisSupposition	CertaintyFactKnowledgeProof
Deteriorating	Deteriorating means becoming progressively worse over time. It describes a decline in quality, condition, or value. This term can be applied to a variety of contexts, such as physical objects, health, environmental conditions, relationships, and economic situations.	DecliningWorseningDegradingDegenerating	ImprovingEnhancingStrengtheningUpgrading
Tripartite	Tripartite means involving or consisting of three parts, parties, or elements. The term is often used to describe agreements, structures, or relationships that are divided into three distinct sections or that involve three entities working together.	ThreefoldTrilateralTriadicThree-part	UnilateralBilateral Singular Single

Title: Move ahead: On GST and reform

Revenues from the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which completes seven years at the end of this month, hit a record high of ₹2.1 lakh crore in April that typically sees higher inflows due to a year-end compliance rush. Receipts in May, for transactions undertaken in April, were the fifth highest ever at ₹1,72,739 crores, rising almost 10% from a year ago, compared with a 12.4% uptick in the previous month. This was the slowest rise since July 2021 when the second COVID-19 wave had dented economic activity. In the nearly three years since then, GST revenues have generally grown at least 11%. Compared with the average monthly receipts of ₹1.68 lakh crore in 2023-24, taxes pertaining to the first month of this fiscal are 3% higher. Although gross revenues from domestic transactions grew 15.3%, accelerating from a 13.4% rise a month earlier, revenues from goods imports dipped for the second time in three months. Domestic revenue growth has also been uneven across States, with five recording a decline in May, and eight growing far slower than the national average. However, broader worries about GST revenues being underwhelming, voiced by the Union Finance Minister at a GST Council meeting in late 2021, have now receded. This is, therefore, an opportune time for the Council, which is meeting this Saturday, to press the pedal on its pending reform agenda to make it a truly Good and Simple Tax as originally envisaged. Meeting for the first time since last October, the Council may have much routine work on its plate, including clarifications related to, and reviews of, past decisions such as the 28% levy on online games and casinos. However, it is hoped the Council will also find time for bigger things such as reviving the plan to rationalise GST’s complex, multiple-rate structure. A ministerial group, tasked with this agenda since 2021, must be asked to restart its work expeditiously. A new rate structure might also entail lower levies on items such as cement and insurance, for instance. A road map is also needed to bring excluded items such as electricity, natural gas, and petroleum products into the GST net to ensure businesses can avail credits for these inputs. Along with easing compliances for smaller firms as promised in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s election manifesto, there is room for simplifying the system for all businesses, including large ones which are compelled to register in each State and face varying compliance diktats. Not all of this can be discussed in one go. So, it is most critical that the Council, which is usually expected to meet every quarter but has been convened just six times since 2022, resolves to meet more often.

 

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Dented	“Dented” is an adjective derived from the verb “dent.” It typically means: Physical Damage: Having a small hollow mark or depression caused by pressure or impact. For example, “The car door was dented after the minor collision.” Reduction or Decrease: Describing something that has been lessened in value, quantity, or strength. For example, “The company’s profits were dented by the unexpected expenses.”	IndentedDingedDamagedBattered	UndamagedSmoothIntactUnmarked
Envisaged	“Envisaged” is the past tense and past participle of the verb “envisage.” It means to imagine or conceive of something as a future possibility, to envision or picture mentally.	ImaginedEnvisionedConceivedAnticipated	IgnoredDisregardedOverlookedNeglected

Title: A torrid crisis: On heatwaves in northern India

Northern India has been bearing the brunt of the longest stretch of heatwaves in the last 15 years. The minimum day temperatures in some States have consistently remained above 45° C and those in the relatively cooler ones, at least 3°-6° C above what is usual for this time of the year. Even night temperatures have consistently been 3°-6° C above normal, a consequence of the near-absence of moisture and rain. To add to this, the monsoon has been sluggish. After an early start, the monsoon has stalled since June 12 and is stuck in central India. Before its onset over Kerala, the India Meteorological Department had forecast the rainfall in June over India to be ‘normal’. It has now updated that estimate to be ‘below normal’ or, in quantitative terms, a minimum 8% shortfall over the month’s expected quantum of 16.69 cm. This update, however, is not useful as it does not give an insight into the progress of the monsoon. The normal dates of the monsoon’s arrival over the northwestern and northern States are those spanning the June 25-July 1 timeframe. Whether the monsoon’s current hiatus will push these dates even further remains to be seen. A prolonged hiatus could mean an even greater load on the infrastructure in these States.

On June 17, the Power Ministry said that demand in northern India had surged to 89 GW (89,000 MW) — the highest in a single day. To meet this power requirement, nearly 25%-30% had to be “imported” from the other four regions — south, west, east and north-east — and possibly Bhutan. A precise break-up was not provided. Though the Ministry claimed credit in meeting the demand, it indirectly reveals the strain on the infrastructure. The installed power capacity in northern India is 113 GW (1,13,000 MW) and if the northern grid still needed to import power, it suggests an inability to utilise its full capacity. Delhi’s international airport had a half-hour blackout on the same day and it stands to reason that prolonged heatwaves and demands on cooling are only going to further strain the grid. Compounding this is the water crisis that has gripped Delhi. While water pilferage is a common woe, the heat has exacerbated demand, and Haryana, a key source of water for Delhi, has refused to increase supply citing its own constraints. It is high time that politics is set aside and the prolonged summer is holistically addressed by the Centre and States as a natural disaster.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Prolonged	Describing something that lasts longer than typical or anticipated. For example, a “prolonged illness” refers to a sickness that continues for an extended period.	ExtendedLengthyProtractedLong-lasting	BriefShortFleetingTemporary
Exacerbated	The term “exacerbated” means to make a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling worse. It is often used to describe the intensification or worsening of conditions such as illnesses, conflicts, or difficulties.	AggravatedWorsenedIntensifiedHeightened	AlleviatedEasedRelievedMitigated
Holistically	The term “holistically” refers to considering or approaching something as a whole, rather than just focusing on individual parts. It involves looking at the complete system or context and understanding the interconnections and interdependencies among its components.	ComprehensivelyEntirelyIntegrallyCompletely	PartiallyIncompletelySeparatelyFragmentedly

Title:New dynamics: On the G-7, its identity, its purpose 

Welcoming leaders of 10 countries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the “G-7 Outreach” Summit, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said it was important to step away from the old trope of the “West vs the Rest”. That sentiment explained Italy’s decision to invite mainly the Global South countries including BRICS notables such as Brazil, India, and the UAE, to hold an outreach with seven African countries on energy issues, and to host the summit in the Mediterranean Apulia region. The G-7 was once hailed as a dynamic group of the world’s most developed democracies where heads of state would roll up their sleeves once a year to effect real solutions to global financial and development issues. However, with manufacturing slowdowns, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and western sanctions, the grouping has appeared more tired, and its meetings less effective. The shaky electoral fortunes of most of the G-7 leadership did not enhance that image at the summit. The joint communiqué read more like a laundry list of the world’s problems, than it did as a strong call to action on resolving them. Most salient was the G-7’s continued “military, budget, humanitarian, and reconstruction support” for Ukraine, but with no constructive plan on how to end the war. A Gaza ceasefire appeal has also not been accepted by Israel. The G-7’s focus on China in the Indo-Pacific and on “industrial targeting” and unfair practices was particularly sharp, but it remains to be seen whether any member-country will reduce its own considerable trade ties with Beijing. A line in the communiqué that recommitted to about eight infrastructure corridors, including the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor, reinforced the lack of focus on executing (as distinct from discussing) projects.

Given the G-7’s current situation, India, in attendance for the eleventh time, could well take stock of the engagement’s utility. While the event was an opportune moment for Mr. Modi, now in his third term, to meet with some of the world’s top leadership, the meetings themselves did not yield many outcomes. Formal bilaterals with the leaders of important partner the U.S., and fractious relationship-ridden Canada, did not materialise. Mr. Modi focused on India’s elections as a “victory for the democratic world”, on the importance of harnessing technology and artificial intelligence to bridge global inequalities, and on the value of the Global South, especially Africa. It would seem most of those issues would be better addressed in a larger and more representational format such as the G-20, while the G-7 may wish to review its own identity and purpose amidst a rapidly changing global power dynamic.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Hailed	Praised or Acclaimed: When used in this sense, “hailed” means to enthusiastically praise or acknowledge someone or something.	Acclaimed Applauded Commended Celebrated	Criticized Condemned Denounced Disparaged
Harnessing	The word “harnessing” generally means to control and make use of a resource or force effectively.	Utilizing Employing Using Exploiting	Wasting Squandering Misusing Ignoring

Title:Negotiating for peace: On the ‘Summit on Peace’, in Burgenstock

The two-day “Summit on Peace”, that ended on Sunday in Burgenstock, met with mixed outcomes. Switzerland was able to bring together more than 90 countries, at least 56 were represented by leaders, and the final joint communiqué was signed by about 82 countries and organisations, with the exception of a few including India. The document made a strong call for an end to the “ongoing war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine” and a pitch for sovereignty, territorial integrity and adherence to international law. It cited three areas of broad understanding: nuclear safety, food security and the exchange of all prisoners of war, displaced and detained Ukrainians. The statement was not very ambitious in its scope, as the organisers were keen to bring as many countries, particularly from the ‘Global South’ on board — which they managed to do to some extent. However, despite all these areas where Ukrainian President Zelenskyy hailed a “historic victory”, there were shortcomings. Switzerland’s decision not to invite Russia, and to build their negotiations on the basis of the Ukraine Peace Formula along with UN resolutions, made the event appear one-sided. The failure in convincing China, which arguably holds the most sway over Moscow, to even send a delegation was another blow. That no BRICS member, current and future, signed on to the statement indicates that it was a non-starter among the emerging economies.

Switzerland, Ukraine and other western countries had made a special attempt to win India’s favour for the conference, including a last minute appeal by Mr. Zelenskyy when he met PM Modi at the G-7 outreach summit in Italy. As a close partner of Russia, a key Global South player, and a country that has kept a balance in the conflict, India’s presence would have been a major win for the organisers. However, while New Delhi sent the NSA and Deputy NSA to two preparatory conferences in Jeddah and Davos, the Indian delegation here was led by the Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry. India has consistently abstained from every resolution at the UN, Security Council, IAEA, Human Rights Council and other multilateral fora that seeks to criticise Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. While India may share concerns over much of the text released at the conference, it could not have gone ahead with its overtly anti-Russian slant. In its presence, however, New Delhi showed that it is willing to be part of the process, especially if it leads to a more inclusive future conference, with Russia and Ukraine at the table. As a result, India’s decision to attend the conference, but not endorse its outcome, was probably a foregone conclusion.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Communiqué	Communiqué  means an official announcement or statement, especially one made to the media.	AnnouncementBulletinDeclarationStatement	SilenceSecrecyConcealmentWithholding
Adherence	Adherence means “sticking to” or “being faithful to,”	ObedienceComplianceConformityFidelity	DisobedienceDefianceNoncomplianceRebellion
Delegation	Delegation is the process of distributing and entrusting work to another person. In management or leadership within an organisation, it involves a manager aiming to efficiently distribute work, decision-making and responsibility to subordinate workers in an organization.	AssignmentEntrustmentDeputationAuthorization	RetentionWithdrawalRepossessionRevocation
Endorse	An endorse is a form of public support or approval. Endorsements are given to politicians and products. If you give something an endorsement, you’re basically saying “I approve of this person or product.”	ApproveSupportSanctionRatify	RejectOpposeDisapproveDenounce

Title: Criminalising words: on allegedly divisive speeches

The grant of sanction to prosecute writer-activist Arundhati Roy and academician Sheikh Showkat Hussain for alleged “unlawful activity” in a case dating back to 2010 is unwarranted. Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, who had accorded sanction in October 2023 to prosecute the Booker Prize-winning writer and the former Kashmir University professor, respectively, for allegedly divisive speeches and imputations against national unity, has now given his nod for invoking Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for the same set of speeches. The earlier sanction order was in his capacity as the appropriate authority on behalf of the Delhi government under Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The recent one is, presumably, on behalf of the Central government, the appropriate authority to sanction prosecution for offences under Chapter III of the UAPA, under which Section 13 falls. The resurrection of this old case is an unfortunate instance of ill-motivated prosecution. The only possible explanation for the revival of this case, registered on a magistrate court’s order in 2010, is that the present regime has found it expedient only now to do so, as part of its continuing crackdown on dissenters and outspoken critics. The eight-month gap between the two sanction orders is inexplicable, as the same material would have been placed before the sanctioning authority.

The regime at the Centre then did not deem it appropriate to prosecute the speakers at the conference held in Delhi in October 2010. Even though the Bharatiya Janata Party, then in the opposition, pressed for it, the Delhi police did not consider the speeches seditious. Its reluctance was possibly because the Centre did not want to jeopardise efforts to find a solution to the Kashmir problem through designated interlocutors. When a complaint was filed before a Magistrate, the court asked for a police report, but the Delhi police did not think the speeches warranted prosecution for sedition. However, on November 27, 2010, the Metropolitan Magistrate rejected the police stand and directed registration of a First Information Report. The FIR included Section 13 of UAPA, which seeks to punish “unlawful activities”. Speeches made at the conference may have contained imputations about the status of Kashmir, but it is doubtful if a mere speech, in the absence of a call to arms or instigation of violence, would amount to “unlawful activity” under UAPA. In any case, much has changed in the ground situation, especially in the aftermath of the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019 and its division into two Union Territories. The new coalition regime should move away from the earlier era’s obsession with stamping out dissenting views and put an end to its propensity to criminalise speeches

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Imputations	“Imputations” refers to the act of attributing or ascribing something, often a fault, crime, or undesirable characteristic, to someone. It involves suggesting or asserting that someone is responsible for a certain action or holds a particular quality, typically negative	Accusations Allegations Charges Claims	Exonerations Absolutions Vindications Acquittals
Presumably	The word “presumably” is an adverb used to indicate that something is assumed to be true based on what is known, although it is not certain. It suggests that the speaker or writer is making a reasonable guess or assumption based on available information.	Probably Likely Apparently Supposedly	Definitely Certainly Surely Unquestionably
Inexplicable	The word “inexplicable” is an adjective used to describe something that cannot be explained or understood.	Unexplainable Mysterious Puzzling Baffling	Explainable Understandable Comprehensible Clear
Jeopardise	The word “jeopardize” is a verb that means to put something or someone in danger or at risk. It is used to indicate that an action or situation could potentially cause harm, loss, or failure.	Endanger Threaten RiskImperil	Protect Safeguard Secure Shield

Editorial 14 June 2024

The composition of the new Union Council of Ministers, and the distribution of portfolios, are meant to be seen as an emphatic assertion of authority by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has won a third term, as leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell short of an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha by more than 30 seats, but the Council is a signature of continuity from the first two terms. Unlike the previous two terms, partners are crucial for the NDA in the third, but they have political reasons to remain aligned with the BJP. The continuation of all key Ministers in the Cabinet Committee on Security and those in charge of infrastructure portfolios suggests that no dramatic shift in policy should be expected in Mr. Modi’s third term, coalition or not. The TDP, JD(U), JD(S), the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde, the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar, and the LJP led by Chirag Paswan, have all accepted this reality, bickering by some of them notwithstanding. The composition of the Council is in line with the BJP’s strategy of seeking deeper and wider acceptance among Hindu communities across the length and breadth of the country, and representation for Christians and Sikhs, with the notable exclusion of Muslims.

Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman and S. Jaishankar continue in their previous roles, as Ministers for Defence, Home, Finance and External Affairs, respectively. Mr. Modi evidently trusts them, and their performance, though in the case of Mr. Singh and Mr. Shah, political reasons are also at play. Apart from piloting India’s defence ambitions, Mr. Singh is also expected to use his famed diplomatic skills to deal with politically sensitive issues such as the Agnipath recruitment scheme for the military. Mr. Jaishankar did a commendable job of carefully balancing India’s traditional ties and emerging interests in the previous term. While improving ties with the United States, he has managed to protect the strategic autonomy of India, now with an additional Hindutva hue. Ms. Sitharaman steered the economy through the COVID-19 pandemic turmoil, and has been a champion of its prospects. She has, however, not managed the contentious questions of Centre-State fiscal relations very well. Mr. Shah has a long list of politically sensitive issues to tackle in his new term — completion of the Census operation, transition of the criminal justice system with the implementation of the new criminal codes, and Centre-State relations, among other things. The Ministers have their task cut out, and stability helps. They will also be called upon to exercise wisdom.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Emphatic	Emphatic, in a general sense, means showing or giving emphasis; expressing something forcibly and clearly. It is often used to describe a way of speaking, acting, or writing that leaves no doubt about the intended meaning or importance.	Forceful Assertive Vehement Insistent	Weak Indifferent Ambiguous Hesitant
Bickering	Bickering refers to petty, trivial, or minor arguing and quarreling, often characterized by back-and-forth exchanges over unimportant or insignificant matters.	Quarreling Squabbling Arguing Disputing	Agreeing Harmonizing Cooperating Concord