Category: Editorial

Title: ​ ​ ​Judge and prejudice: On conduct in judicial proceedings

The Supreme Court of India has rapped judges over the knuckles, asking them to refrain from making “casual observations” that reveal their communal bias or misogyny. Judicial proceedings are live-streamed in some courts across the country, with a wide reach beyond the four walls of a courtroom, and the top court was firm that judges, and everyone in the judicial fraternity, must be aware of the responsibility and act accordingly. The “heart and soul of judging is to be fair”, it observed, and noted that judges must strictly adhere to the values laid down by the Constitution, and not be guided by prejudice. Taking suo motu cognisance of video clips featuring Karnataka High Court Judge V. Srishananda and his sexist comments to a woman lawyer on two separate judicial proceedings, a five-judge Special Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud observed in its order on Wednesday that off-the-cuff remarks by judges would show them in a negative light and impact the entire judicial institution adversely. On a previous occasion, the Karnataka High Court judge had referred to a Muslim-dominated locality in west Bengaluru as ‘Pakistan’. The Bench took a stern note of that remark as well, contending, “you cannot call any part of the territory of India ‘Pakistan’… This is fundamentally wrong under the Constitution”.

The judge apologised after the suo motu notice, and calling it a “contrite apology”, the top court said it was concluding the proceedings, but not before making several observations in open court. In fact, Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had advised the Court to hold the procedure in-house so that its remarks are not misrepresented on social media later. To this, the CJI quipped, “The answer to sunlight is more sunlight. The answer is not to close our doors and shut out everything.” Last month too, the Court had cautioned a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to stop making “random, unwarranted” remarks during proceedings. In 2023, the Court released a handbook to combat gender stereotyping within the judiciary. Aiming to assist the legal community in “identifying, understanding and combating stereotypes about women”, it came out with a glossary of gender-unjust terms, suggesting alternative words or phrases to be used while drafting pleadings as well as orders and judgments. It is imperative for court officials to be gender-sensitised. The judicial ecosystem must run without any bias towards any community. Stereotyping any person on the lines of gender or religion will perpetuate harmful inequalities, and carriers of justice should be mindful of this at all times.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Refrain	“Refrain” generally means to hold back from doing something or to avoid a particular action or behavior. It is often used to suggest self-control or restraint in situations where one might otherwise be tempted to act.	Abstain Hold back Avoid Desist	Indulge Act Persist Proceed
Fraternity	“Fraternity” generally refers to a group of people who share a common interest, goal, or bond, often characterized by brotherhood, camaraderie, and mutual support.	Brotherhood Fellowship Association Alliance	Isolation Separation Division Estrangement
Perpetuate	Perpetuate” means to cause something to continue indefinitely or to make something last for a long time. It often refers to the continuation of situations, beliefs, practices, or conditions, whether positive or negative.	Sustain Maintain Preserve Continue	End Abolish Halt Cease

Title: ​ ​ Rogue state: On Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah

First the pagers exploded. Then came the walkie-talkies. And then, Israel launched a massive bombardment campaign targeting Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed Lebanese-Shia militant group. As it appears, the pager and walkie-talkie explosions were a part of Israel’s coordinated strategy aimed at weakening Hezbollah in their slow-burning war since October 7, 2023. When Israel launched its Gaza invasion after Hamas’s attack a year ago, Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel “in solidarity with the Palestinians”. While both sides exchanged fire, they were wary of not letting the tensions spiral into an all-out war. But that caution was abandoned when Israel killed Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander, in an air strike on Beirut on July 31. Israel’s large-scale air strikes, especially in southern Lebanon, a Hezbollah stronghold, saw the militia group firing hundreds of rockets into Israel. The war in the north has forced about 70,000 Israelis out of their homes. Earlier this month, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that enabling the displaced residents to return to their homes in the northern Upper Galilee region was one of the objectives of the ongoing war. Then came the pager explosions and the subsequent air strikes.

According to Lebanese authorities, at least 575 people, including women and children, were killed in Israel’s air strikes in just two days. In retaliation, Hezbollah fired more projectiles, including a ballistic missile on Wednesday (September 25, 2024) towards Tel Aviv. The conflict is now in an escalatory spiral and what is to be seen is whether Israel would launch a ground invasion. In 1978, Israel invaded Lebanon with the aim of pushing out Palestinian guerrillas north of the Litani river. The operation was unsuccessful. In 1982, its invasion — this time, the goal was to push the PLO out of Lebanon — managed to force the PLO to relocate from Lebanon, but the war led to the creation of Hezbollah. In 2000, after 18 years of Hezbollah’s resistance, Israel withdrew, leaving a buffer it had carved out on the border in the hands of Hezbollah. In 2006, after a Hezbollah cross-border raid, Israel launched another invasion, but after 30 days of fighting, withdrew as part of a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. If the past is any indication, Israel is making another mistake in Lebanon. A ceasefire in Gaza, which has been overwhelmingly demanded by the international community, would have quietened the northern border. Instead, Mr. Netanyahu, whose troops have killed over 40,000 Palestinians in 11 months in Gaza, has chosen to escalate the war with Hezbollah, killing hundreds more and pushing West Asia to the brink of an all-out war. This bellicosity, callousness and total disregard for international law and norms all bear the hallmarks of a rogue state. A rogue state with impunity.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Invasion	The term “invasion” refers to the act of entering a place or territory, especially by force, with the intent of conquering, occupying, or exerting control over it.	Incursion Infiltration Occupation Attack	Withdrawal Retreat Departure Defense
Solidarity	Solidarity refers to the unity and mutual support among individuals or groups who share common interests, goals, or values. It signifies a sense of togetherness and collective responsibility, where people stand by one another, often in challenging situations, to support a common cause or to advocate for the rights and well-being of a community.	Unity Cohesion Togetherness  Camaraderie	Division Disunity Discord Conflict
Escalatory	“Escalatory” refers to something that causes or leads to an increase in intensity, severity, or scope, particularly in a conflict, dispute, or tense situation.	Aggravating Intensifying Exacerbating Provocative	De-escalating Calming Mitigating  Reducing

Title: ​ ​ Visit wrap-up: On PM Modi’s U.S. visit, announcements

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day visit to the U.S was marked by high-level meetings that had a three-part focus. He spent one day at the Quad and in bilateral meetings with U.S. President Joseph Biden, a day in New York with business leaders and the diaspora, and another day at the UN and in bilateral meetings. The Quad Summit, delayed due to political cycles in the four member countries, was more substantive than expected for a farewell meeting (Mr. Biden and Japan’s Fumio Kishida will soon demit office). The joint statement was noted for its sharp language on Chinese aggression in the South China Sea, as well as on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where the leaders upheld the UN charter on sovereignty and territorial integrity. The announcement of initiatives aimed at countering Chinese actions will no doubt raise Beijing’s ire: a “Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission” for 2025, a Maritime Initiative for Training in the Indo-Pacific (MAITRI) and a “maritime legal dialogue” to support the “rules-based order”. However, India’s hesitation in joining other Quad militaries in contested waters in the Pacific Ocean remains, and India’s presidency of the Quad next year will show whether those are overcome. Quad countries also committed to a “Cancer Moonshot” to fight cancer, an initiative that can draw lessons from the troubled Quad vaccine initiative. India and the U.S. were able to announce progress on many strategic fronts including a military partnership for semiconductor fabrication and India acquiring predator drones. However, the ties faced unspoken tensions over the lingering effect of the Pannun case, including summons issued for NSA Ajit Doval in a civil suit and a White House meeting with Sikh activists who have campaigned against India — all before Mr. Modi’s arrival. The message from Washington appears to be that the Pannun case cannot be overlooked.

Mr. Modi’s message at the UN as well as in bilateral meetings with leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was watched closely given recent moves hinting at India’s involvement in a peace process. While Mr. Modi gave no further indication of such a plan, his discussions with Mr. Zelenskyy centred around a possible second peace summit. At a diaspora event, Mr. Modi said that India is now a “strong voice” of the Global South, and was taking up the concerns of the developing world on the conflict with the global leadership. At the UN “Summit of the Future”, he added that the success of humanity would depend on its “collective strength, not in the battlefield”. The next few months will see New Delhi tested not only on those lofty ideals and ambition for peace but also on actualising the many announcements made during the visit.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Substantive	The term substantive refers to something that is meaningful, essential, or significant in nature. It indicates that an idea, argument, or issue is important and has real value or impact.	Significant Meaningful Important Essential	Insignificant Trivial Superficial Minor
Hesitation	Hesitation refers to a pause or delay in action or decision-making, often due to uncertainty, doubt, or fear. It occurs when someone is unsure about what to do or say next, and this uncertainty causes a momentary stop or indecision.	Uncertainty Doubt Indecision Pausing	Confidence Certainty Assurance Decisiveness

Title: ​ ​ Triumph squared: On India’s chess double win in Budapest

India’s double gold at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest is an extraordinary feat: only two other countries could do it in history. It came as no surprise to the serious followers of the game, though. The Indian women began as the first seed and the men as the second in the mind sport’s most prestigious team event, for which most of the world’s countries flew down to the Hungarian capital. While the women’s campaign suffered a couple of setbacks towards the end, the men were absolutely dominant right through. The men were so good that they scored four points more than their nearest rivals, the top-seeded United States. What stood out is the fact that India’s twin triumph was fashioned by a bunch of youngsters belonging to the golden generation of Indian chess. That should be a worrying thought for India’s opponents on the chessboard as these champions can only get better and will be playing at the Olympiad and other global competitions for another decade or two. Besides the team golds, India also won the individual golds through D. Gukesh (aged 18), Arjun Erigaisi (21), Divya Deshmukh (18) and Vantika Agrawal (21). The Indian teams also included Chennai’s Grandmaster siblings R. Praggnanandhaa (19) and R. Vaishali (23). It is also worth mentioning that the Indian women’s team did not have Koneru Humpy, one of the strongest female players in chess history.

Having stressed that, India’s depth in the women’s game is nowhere near that of the men’s. While there are several promising male players outside the Olympiad teams, such as Nihal Sarin and Raunak Sadhwani, it is not quite so in Indian women’s chess. India’s chess administration should try to use the great success of its women at Budapest to promote the game more aggressively among girls. The women’s bench needs to get stronger. The administrators also have to organise elite tournaments in India. The big stars of Indian chess hardly ever play in the country, for there are no events good enough for them. Viswanathan Anand, the man who single-handedly revolutionised chess in India, never had an opportunity to play in a tournament other than a World championship or World Cup at home after he became one of the superstars of world chess. There is the Tata Steel Chess India tournament in Kolkata, but its format is rapid and blitz, and not the classical variety of the Olympiad. Players like Arjun and Divya have shown in the eastern metropolis how much a top-quality event like that helps Indian players. Indian chess surely could soar higher with more support from the government and corporates.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Extraordinary	“Extraordinary” means something that is very unusual, remarkable, or beyond what is normal or expected. It often refers to things or events that stand out due to their exceptional quality or uniqueness.	Exceptional Remarkable Unusual Outstanding	Ordinary Common Usual Normal
Rivals	“Rivals” are individuals, groups, or entities that compete against each other in a specific domain, such as business, sports, or other competitive arenas. Rivals often strive to outperform one another in pursuit of a shared goal, like winning a competition, gaining market dominance, or achieving a particular objective.	Competitors Opponents Contenders Challengers	Allies Partners Supporters Friends

Title: ​ ​ ​​ Unwarranted curbs: On the Centre’s move on a ‘fact-checking unit’

The Centre’s move to create a ‘fact-checking unit’ empowered to order the removal of ‘fake or false or misleading’ information from digital and social media platforms was never likely to succeed. Justice A.S. Chandurkar of the Bombay High Court struck down the amended rule, in a tie-breaking ruling after a two-judge Bench, in January, was split over its constitutional validity. In an opinion that makes it a 2:1 decision, he agreed with the view of Justice G.S. Patel, who had held that the provision violated the right to freedom of expression and sought to coercively classify speech as true or false based on vague and undefined terms. The rule, introduced as an amendment in 2023 to the rules governing information technology intermediaries and digital media ethics, meant that once the fact-checking unit flagged a piece of information on a social media platform as fake, false or misleading, the platform was bound to take it down. Failure to do so would result in its losing its ‘safe harbour’ protection, or exemption from legal action for third party content hosted on a platform. Editors and publishers rightly saw the creation of a fact-checking unit in the Press Information Bureau as a mechanism by which the Centre could censor anything that it disputes. Political satirists will be forced into self-censorship, argued comedian Kunal Kamra. The government contended that recklessly published material that was contrary to truth cannot have constitutional protection and that aggrieved platforms were free to approach the courts for remedy.

However, two of the three judges have found the rule unconstitutional, noting that the terms ‘fake’, ‘false’ or ‘misleading’ were not defined and there was no scope for redress provided in the rules. Another point that went against the government was that the restriction was applied only to information about the Centre, and not other kinds of information. Justice Chandurkar also agreed with Justice Patel that a restriction on free speech based on whether something is true or false was not one of the circumstances listed in Article 19(2) of the Constitution for imposing reasonable restrictions. The other judge on the Bench, Justice Neela Gokhale, had upheld the rule, holding that it was not vaguely worded and that there was no bar on a platform publishing a disclaimer to retain its safe harbour protection. She also rejected the idea that such a rule would have a chilling effect on free speech. The prevalence of misinformation or false information is a problem that undoubtedly requires to be tackled, but it cannot be an excuse to create a mechanism by which the government becomes a judge in its own cause or the sole arbiter of what information about itself is misleading.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Coercively	“Coercively” refers to actions done using force, threats, or pressure to make someone do something against their will. It describes a situation where power or authority is used to compel someone to act in a certain way, often without their consent.	Forcibly Compulsorily Mandatorily Duressfully	Voluntarily Willingly Freely Unconstrained
Satirists	Satirists are writers, artists, or performers who use satire—a form of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule—to criticize or expose the flaws, foolishness, or corruption of individuals, societies, governments, or institutions.	Parodists Humorists Mockers Ironists	Apologists Defenders Supporters Advocates
Recklessly	“Recklessly” refers to acting without thinking about the consequences, often in a careless or irresponsible manner. It describes behavior that shows a lack of concern for safety, risks, or the potential harm to oneself or others.	Carelessly Foolhardily Irresponsibly Haphazardly	Cautiously Prudently Carefully Deliberately

Title: ​ ​ ​​ Milestones and U-turns: On the government in its third term

As their third term in office gathers pace, the Narendra Modi government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are eager to claim a seamless continuity with the first two terms, as a mark of effective governance and leadership. The government and the party have used the arbitrary 100-day milestone to showcase their achievements in various sectors, from renewable energy to infrastructure, and the successes of welfare schemes. They have also used the opportunity to pronounce that nothing has changed, despite the dependence of the government on a coalition in the 18th Lok Sabha. As if to prove the point that there is no rethink on any of its controversial agendas from the previous terms, the Union Cabinet, on Wednesday (September 18, 2024), approved a report by a committee headed by the former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, that has endorsed a partisan BJP proposal for simultaneous elections to all State Assemblies and the Lok Sabha. The government has also made it clear that it will work towards a Uniform Civil Code, and continue to push for the expansion of Hindi over English. BJP functionaries are putting on a brave face but cannot wish away the new reality of coalition politics, and the changed dynamics in the party and the larger Sangh Parivar since the results of the 2024 general election.

Stability and continuity at policy and political levels are signs of good governance, but so are negotiations, compromises and consensus in a diverse democracy. In governance, as in driving, proactive and defensive approaches go together, and U-turns are wise when racing ahead can lead to a collision. The BJP has quietly learnt this lesson, though it is unwilling to own up its own new flexibility. Rigidity has been talked up as a sign of virtuous politics by strong man populism around the world, and the BJP is now haunted by the ghost of its own past bombast. On some major policy issues, the BJP has made course corrections after resistance from allies and the Opposition. It has extended the consultation on the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, abandoned the new pension scheme and the proposed lateral entry scheme in the high bureaucracy. These are areas in need of reforms, but they can be best achieved by openness and flexibility. The BJP’s rigidity on issues has also begotten equally rigid resistance from the Opposition, which is no good for governance. Similarly, the BJP itself is increasingly becoming a coalition rather than an ideological monolith. It is good that the leadership has realised this. It will be better if it also articulates this more honestly.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Arbitrary	The term arbitrary generally means something that is based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system. It can also refer to decisions or actions that are made without clear rules or standards.	Random Unpredictable Capricious Subjective	Rational Reasonable Logical Consistent
Controversial	The term controversial refers to something that causes disagreement, debate, or public dispute. When an issue, topic, or person is described as controversial, it means they provoke strong opposing opinions or reactions.	Contentious Disputed Debatable Divisive	Uncontroversial Agreed Accepted Undisputed
Negotiations	Negotiations refer to discussions or talks between two or more parties aimed at reaching an agreement or resolving a conflict. During negotiations, each side typically presents its goals, interests, and preferences, and works toward a mutually acceptable outcome.	Bargaining Discussions Talks Diplomacy	Disagreement Stalemate Impasse Deadlock

Title: ​ ​ ​​ Third front: On the expanding nature of the conflict in West Asia

The missile attack on Sunday (September 15, 2024) on Israel by Yemen’s Houthi rebels marked the second breach of Israel’s highly fortified skies by Houthi weapons in two months, pointing to the expanding nature of the conflict in West Asia. In July, an Iranian-made drone launched by the Houthis from Yemen, roughly 2,000 km south of Israel, had killed one person and wounded 10 others in Tel Aviv. In retaliation, Israel launched an air strike on Hodeida, a Houthi-controlled Red Sea port in Yemen. But that has done little in deterring the Houthis. Israeli authorities have provided conflicting accounts about the attack on Sunday (September 15, 2024). They first said the missile had landed in central Israel and caused a fire but added later that it had “fragmented mid-air”. Another official said it was intercepted, breaking it into parts but not destroying it. Whatever the facts, it should remain a security concern for Israel, which has been fighting a disastrous war in Gaza for over 11 months, and a slow-burning war with Lebanon’s Hezbollah in Israel’s north, that the Houthis are penetrating its air space. Israel might launch retaliatory strikes on Yemen again, but the question is whether this would deter the Houthis.

The Houthis, who control parts of Yemen, have survived multiple air strikes by foreign powers ever since they captured Sana’a, Yemen’s capital, in 2014. A Saudi-led coalition, which backed a rival government in Yemen, declared war against the Houthis in 2015, months after Salman ascended the throne and Mohammed bin Salman became the Defence Minister. But Saudi bombing failed to dislodge the Houthis, which eventually led to a fragile ceasefire between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government in Yemen. When Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023 and Israel launched its retaliatory invasion, the Houthis “declared war” against Israel, primarily targeting tankers in the Red Sea. In response, a U.S.-led coalition declared an air strike campaign against the Houthis. But months of air strikes led by the U.S. and the U.K. have done little in diminishing Houthi fire power. Israel faces the same dilemma when it comes to tackling the Houthi problem. The Houthis, who have direct Iranian support, are entrenched in Yemen. By taking up the Palestine cause, they are both serving Iran’s strategic purpose and consolidating power at home. And the drone and missile attacks on Israel are an indication of what is to come in Israel’s unending wars. If Israel went to Gaza to crush Hamas 11 months ago, the Jewish state is now fighting three enemy militias at the same time — Hamas, Hezbollah and Houthis — with no military solution in the offing. This means that unless there is an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the security situation in West Asia will deteriorate on multiple fronts.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Rebels	The term “rebels” generally refers to individuals or groups that resist or fight against an established authority, government, or societal norms. This resistance can take various forms, including protests, uprisings, or armed conflict.	Insurgents Revolutionaries Defectors Dissidents	Loyalists Supporters Conformists Allies
Retaliation	Retaliation refers to the act of responding to an attack, injury, or wrongdoing with a counteraction, often as a form of revenge or punishment. It involves acting against someone in response to their actions, and it can occur in various contexts, including personal disputes, international conflicts, and workplace situations.	Revenge Reprisal Retribution Vengeance	Forgiveness Pardon Reconciliation Tolerance
Intercepted	“Intercepted” means to stop or seize something before it reaches its intended destination.	Seized Stopped Caught Blocked	Released  Delivered Allowed Passed

Title: ​ ​ ​​Clarity of vision: On eye drops for presbyopia and ‘claims’

The casual exaggeration of claims in medicine, unsubstantiated by science and facts, has long been a plague in the health sector. The promise of spectacular cures advertised in the media from time to time, in fact, prompted separate legislation to curb such claims: the Drugs And Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act. Last week, controversy over the claims over the prowess of eye drops prescribed for presbyopia (progressive loss of the near focusing ability of the eye due to ageing), led to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) suspending a pharma company’s permission to manufacture and market the product. The CDSCO said that the company had made claims, for which it had not been authorised (that using the drops could lead to reading glasses not being needed for presbyopia). “In view of public interest, and due to the likelihood of the public being misled by these claims,” permission had been suspended. The company, ENTOD Pharmaceuticals, held that approval for the drug was based upon a valid controlled clinical trial that demonstrated efficacy and safety in 234 patients. It ladled the blame for the ‘claims’ on to media reports on the new product “which went viral and public imagination [that] led to an unusual escalation for which ENTOD Pharmaceuticals is not responsible”. Despite these protestations, the company had posted a message on X (since deleted) tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “PresVu is the first DCGI-approved proprietary prescription eye drops to eliminate the need for reading glasses”.

The main ingredient in the drops, pilocarpine, works by causing the pupils to constrict, creating a pinhole effect. This would enable someone with presbyopia to see better. Pilocarpine, itself, is not a new application in ophthalmology, or even, presbyopia. It has been used to treat glaucoma, though its use waned because of the side effects, and has since been replaced by better drugs. The U.S. FDA had, in 2021 and 2023, approved pilocarpine-based eye drops for use in presbyopia. While the announcement of these approvals was publicised at the time, the communiqués mentioned the advantages of using the eye drops, along with the side effects, a measured claim about offering another option for presbyopes, in addition to glasses, contact lenses and surgery. The intervention of the CDSCO in this case, clearly is an attempt to reinforce the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act. This is a valid intervention in India today, where frequent advertisements for fantastic cures indicate the presence of an industry that thrives on cheating gullible patients. It is the duty of the government to set store entirely by scientific data, and rein in unsubstantiated claims about drugs, no matter who makes them.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
unsubstantiated	Unsubstantiated” refers to something that lacks evidence or support. If a claim, allegation, or statement is unsubstantiated, it means there is no solid proof or factual basis to back it up.	Unverified Unsupported Unproven Baseless	Substantiated Verified Proven Supported
Escalation	“Escalation” refers to the process of something increasing in intensity, severity, or magnitude.	Increase Intensification Amplification Heightening	De-escalation Reduction Mitigation Diminishment

Unrealistic expectations: On India and Russia-Ukraine peace

India’s efforts at peacemaking between Russia and Ukraine have limited potential

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval’s visit to Russia had outcomes of potential bilateral and geopolitical consequence. At the meet of high-level security officials of the BRICS grouping, his one-on-one meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese Foreign Minister and senior Chinese Communist Party Politburo official Wang Yi were in the spotlight as well. The meet of BRICS NSAs came ahead of the BRICS summit in October which will bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and the leaders of Brazil, South Africa, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia together for the first time since the grouping was expanded in 2023. The Doval-Wang meeting was no less important, given that the two high-level officials were meeting in the wake of intensified India-China contact to resolve the four-year-old military standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Their decision to “redouble their efforts” with “urgency” to complete disengagement along the LAC indicates that they hope to make progress in time before a possible Modi-Xi meet at the BRICS summit. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s comment that 75% of the disengagement has been completed seems to point to the government’s determination to cease hostilities with China, albeit not one that would actually see a reversion to the situation at the LAC prior to 2020. Finally, there was Mr. Doval’s meeting with Mr. Putin, which was a rare protocol exception. Mr. Doval’s comments, that he had been sent by Mr. Modi to brief Mr. Putin “personally” about the Modi Ukraine visit could mean that India is essaying a more mediatory role in peace-making.

If the government is indeed serious about such a role, it must be clear about what it entails. While officials have frequently said India has “conveyed messages” between Russia, Ukraine, and western countries during the war, mediating will require India to expend considerable goodwill, time and patience to achieve results. Türkiye, Indonesia and Hungary have been speaking to both sides since the 2022 invasion, and there are now many peace proposals from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mr. Putin, the Bürgenstock Communiqué, and even a six-point proposal by Brazil and China. The conflict is far from stable with ominous signs of an escalation including Ukraine’s invasion of Kursk, Russian missile strikes, and Mr. Zelenskyy’s persistent demand to be allowed to carry out long-range strikes on Russia using American and British hardware. Mr. Modi’s travel to the U.S. this month for UN meetings, the Quad Summit and another meeting with Mr. Zelenskyy possibly, followed by his visit to Russia for the BRICS summit will carry much responsibility, but India’s efforts at peacemaking must not be over-burdened by unrealistic expectations.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Hostilities	The term “hostilities” refers to acts of aggression, conflict, or warfare between groups, nations, or individuals.	Conflict Warfare Combat Aggression	Peace Truce Accord Harmony
Entails	The term “entails” refers to something that is a necessary or unavoidable result or consequence of a particular action, condition, or situation.	Involves Requires Necessitates Demands	Excludes Avoids Omits Neglects
Ominous	The term “ominous” describes something that gives a sense of impending danger or disaster.	Threatening Foreboding Menacing Sinister	Promising Encouraging Reassuring Bright

Last mile woes: On inflation data and the challenges

Inflation should not be allowed to undermine the economic momentum 

The latest retail inflation data from the National Statistical Office yet again highlights the challenge in achieving durable price stability. Provisional estimates for year-on-year price gains in August show the headline rate based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) quickened marginally to 3.65%, from July’s 3.60%, as a sharp rebound in vegetable inflation led to a wider acceleration in overall food price gains. Price gains in vegetables — the third-largest constituent of the Consumer Food Price Index — surged by more than 380 basis points last month to 10.7%, spurring food price inflation to 5.66%. Among vegetables, year-on-year inflation in the most widely consumed potato and onion still remained in the high double digits for a sixth and 13th month at 64% and 54%, respectively, a moderation from July’s levels notwithstanding. Other vegetables including carrot, palak and brinjal experienced a surge in price gains with all three posting double-digit inflation. Also, disinflation in the prices of pulses and cereals remained slow, with year-on-year price gains in the former still in the double digits for a 15th straight month at 13.6%, while the latter logged an inflation reading of 7.3%. Disconcertingly, food inflation in the rural areas rebounded to exceed 6%, and this at a time when stuttering private consumption is trying to regain momentum in the economically crucial agrarian hinterland. As an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee Shashanka Bhide noted in his comments at the RBI’s policy review meeting last month, “high food inflation would therefore hit growth adversely as it affects consumption”.

A durable disinflation to the RBI’s medium-term monetary policy goal of 4% headline retail inflation also faces other challenges, a key element being a resurgence in core inflation. The price gains measure, which strips out the more volatile food and fuel components, inched up to 3.38% after having snapped a 17-month decelerating streak in July. Based on responses from goods manufacturers polled for the monthly HSBC India Manufacturing PMI survey, HSBC observed this month that there was a “marked increase in prices charged for goods in August” with the rate of output-charge inflation the second-fastest in close to 11 years. Add to this the spatial and temporal volatility of the monsoon, and the outlook for price stability becomes even more muddied. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday said that the last mile of disinflation was proving to be “challenging”. With policymakers still having to traverse a fair distance to ensure inflation does not undermine broader economic momentum, he reassuringly acknowledged that authorities “cannot afford to look the other way”.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
spurring	The term “spurring” generally means to stimulate, encourage, or prompt someone or something to take action or to accelerate progress.	Stimulating Encouraging Motivating Promoting	Discouraging Dissuading Hindering Stifling
Disconcertingly	The term “disconcertingly” is an adverb used to describe something that causes discomfort, confusion, or unease.	Alarmingly Unsettlingly Disturbingly Confusingly	Comfortingly Reassuringly Calmly Peacefully
stuttering	“Stuttering” refers to a speech disorder characterized by disruptions in the flow of speech.	Stammering Hesitation (in speech) Faltering (in speech) Spluttering	Fluent Clear Smooth Articulate