Tag: daily editorials

Title: ​ Stolen vote: On a sledgehammer blow to democracy in France

Emmanuel Macron, France’s centrist President, called a snap parliamentary election in June after the country’s far-right National Rally (RN) finished first in the European elections. Mr. Macron wanted a fresh national mandate against the far right. But in the elections, held in two rounds in June and July, no party won a majority (289 seats) with the leftist New Popular Front (NFP) emerging as the biggest bloc, with 182 seats. Mr. Macron’s Ensemble won 168 seats and the RN finished third with 143 seats. The NFP immediately staked claim to form the next government and even picked a prime ministerial candidate. But after two months of a political deadlock, Mr. Macron, last week, picked Michel Barnier, a veteran from the conservative Republican party, which finished fourth in the election with 46 seats, as the new Prime Minister. In effect, Mr. Macron called the snap election to defeat the far right, saw the victory of the left-wing bloc, but appointed a conservative as the Prime Minister. His decision has angered many French voters, with tens of thousands of them pouring into the streets on Saturday to protest against the “stolen vote”. The NFP, especially its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has slammed Mr. Macron’s “betrayal” of the public mandate.

Mr. Macron’s rationale was that he chose “institutional stability” as most other political blocs were opposed to a leftist forming the government. In the current arrangement, Mr. Barnier would seek to form a minority government with support from Mr. Macron’s party and indirect support (through abstention) from the RN. So, if Mr. Macron called the snap elections to defeat the far-right RN, his pick for the post of the Prime Minister would be dependent on the far right’s mercy to stay in power and push legislation through Parliament. Mr. Macron wants a leader who can form “a unity government to serve the French people”, and Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader, wants a Prime Minister “who works for RN voters”. Mr. Barnier, 73, has served in several conservative cabinets and was the EU’s main Brexit negotiator from 2016-21. His job is to form a government that would take Mr. Macron’s agenda forward without irking the far right. Whether he would succeed or not, Mr. Macron’s move itself is a sledgehammer blow to democracy in France. His impulsive decisions to push the country into elections and then ignore the spirit of the people’s mandate are not typical of leaders of mature democracies. By rejecting the winner of the election and picking a Prime Minister who is acceptable for the far right, Mr. Macron is making a mockery of the people’s choice and also mainstreaming the far right with neo-Nazi roots. He has made a big mistake.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Conservative	The term “conservative” generally refers to a preference for traditional values, institutions, and practices, and a resistance to sudden or radical changes.	Traditional Cautious Conventional Right-wing	Liberal Progressive Radical Revolutionary
Slammed	To say someone was “slammed” often means they were heavily criticized or attacked verbally. For example, “The politician was slammed for their controversial comments.”	Criticized Bashed Struck Pounded	Praised Commended Released Assisted

Title: ​ ​Wide open: On India’s Paralympians

Following the disappointment of several near-misses in the recent Olympics, India’s best-ever show of 29 medals for an 18th place finish in the Paris Paralympics is reason to celebrate. From four medals and 43rd spot in Rio 2016 to 19 medals and 24th rank in Tokyo 2020, this is a significant ascent and depicts the Indian Paralympians’ constant improvement in sync with the increased government support. Since the challenges are different, it may not be fair to compare the achievements of the para-athletes with those in the Olympics. India’s performance in the 2024 Paralympics reflects its para-athletes’ quest for excellence despite the unimaginable odds they face. Of the seven gold, nine silver and 13 bronze medals, the majority (17 in all), came from para-athletics. The javelin throwers and high jumpers contributed the most, with four medals in different categories classified as impairments. Para-badminton (five), para-shooting (four), para-archery (two) and para-judo (one) completed the country’s medal tally. Shooter Avani Lekhara and javelin thrower Sumit Antil, who set a new Paralympic record, defended their gold medals, high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu claimed his third successive medal, 17-year-old armless archer Sheetal Devi became the youngest Indian to win a medal and Harvinder Singh won the first para-archery gold.

Preethi Pal bagged India’s first-ever track medal as she picked up a bronze in women’s 100m T35 event followed by another in 200m and Kapil Parmar captured India’s first para-judo medal. Nagaland’s 40-year-old Army man Hokato Sema, who shone as a shot putter despite losing a leg in the line of duty in the prime of his youth, cornered glory to underscore the indomitable human spirit. Overall, the spectators’ response to the Paralympics 2024 was heart-warming — organisers sold over two million tickets for the Games. The Stade de France witnessed a near-capacity crowd thronging the iconic venue daily to watch and support the heroic efforts. It was a huge encouragement for the 4,400-plus para-athletes competing in 549 medal events in 22 sports and might contribute to the growth and acceptability of para-sports. It complemented the French authorities’ attempt to make the Paralympics more inclusive, which is apparent from the emblem, mascot, and motto — Games Wide Open — used for the Olympics. The successful conduct of the Paris Paralympics and the Indians’ praiseworthy performance should draw more government and corporate support for these athletes in India to ensure improved shows on the field and a better life as part of the mainstream.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Unimaginable	“Unimaginable” refers to something that is so extraordinary, extreme, or unprecedented that it is difficult or impossible to conceive, comprehend, or picture in one’s mind.	Inconceivable Unthinkable Unbelievable Incredible	Conceivable Believable Understandable Predictable
Impairments	“Impairments” refer to conditions or factors that cause a reduction in the ability or functionality of a person, object, or system.	Disabilities Deficiencies Limitations Handicaps	Abilities Strengths Enhancements Improvements
Indomitable	“Indomitable” describes a person, spirit, or force that is impossible to defeat, discourage, or subdue. It refers to an unyielding and resilient strength or determination that persists despite challenges or obstacles.	Unyielding Unconquerable Invincible Unbreakable	Submissive Defeated Vulnerable Weak
Thronging	“Thronging” refers to the action of a large group of people or things gathering or moving together in a crowded manner. It often implies a dense and energetic crowd that fills or overflows a space.	Crowding Swarming Gathering Flocking	Dispersing Scattering Emptying Departing

Income inequality: On the ILO’s World Employment and Social Outlook study

More jobs and higher taxes can counter the effects of automation 

The ILO’s World Employment and Social Outlook study (September) has definitively linked declining trends in labour’s income share of total income within nations to technological advances — mainly automation and artificial intelligence. In an analysis of the past two decades, it mentions a 1.6% drop in the global labour income share between 2004-24. More ominously, almost 40% of this decline was in the pandemic years of 2019-22 — a drop that has not been recouped in the past couple of years. Labour income share is a measure widely used to assess income inequalities within economies. The 1.6% drop might seem insignificant, but it amounts to $2.4 trillion in lost wages at constant purchasing power parity, in relation to what workers would have earned had the labour income share been stable since 2004. $2.4 trillion lost globally is more than half of India’s nominal GDP forecast for FY2023-24. The study also highlights the gendered aspect of this inequality. In 2024, almost a third of the world’s young women (28.2%) are not in employment, education or training, it estimates, which is double that of young men (13.1%). This is alarming for developing nations with growing working age populations, as it highlights challenges in job creation. In fact, another ILO report on the status of employment in India estimates that 83% of its unemployed are youth. This coupled with the government’s recent prescriptions to the private sector to invest in labour intensive employment points to a crisis in jobs growth and rising inequality, even as output and labour productivity rise.

Several countries have been mooting the idea of a universal basic income (UBI), or a floor to stand on, as economists have called it. A referendum in Switzerland on UBI was defeated in 2016, while Democratic candidate and American tech investor Andrew Yang, in his aborted 2020 bid to the White House, mainstreamed a ‘Freedom Dividend’ of $1,000 a month for every American adult. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too made a proposal of ₹12,000 a month for every family, during his 2019 election campaign, calling it a “final assault on poverty”. Several industry reports point to high-paying job creation due to automation and AI, to counter the jobless growth theory. But again, this only highlights an acceleration in income-inequality trends. Indeed, with the apparent advantages of automation and AI being irreversible, perhaps a global goal towards a universal basic income could address Sustainable Development Goal 10, or reduced inequality within and among countries. It is perhaps time that developing nations such as India consider the reintroduction of an inheritance tax as a measure to redress wealth inequality.

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Ominously	In a way that suggests that something unpleasant is likely to happen	Threatening Menacing Haunting Alarmingly	Promising Bright Cheerful Encouraging
Referendum	A vote in which all the people in a country or an area are asked to give their opinion about or decide an important political or social question:	Poll Vote Ballot Consultation	Legislation Decree Order Mandate
Apparent	“Apparent” refers to something that is clearly visible or easily understood, often implying that it is evident or obvious.	Obvious Clear Evident Manifest	Hidden Obscure Unclear Ambiguous
Redress	“Redress” refers to the act of correcting or remedying a wrong or unfair situation.	Remedy Correct Rectify Compensate	Ignore Neglect Worsen Mismanage

Trading up: On the World Bank’s India Development Update

The World Bank’s growth prognosis for India moots some policy shifts

In its latest India Development Update, the World Bank has raised its 2024-25 GDP growth forecast for the economy to 7%, from 6.6% estimated earlier this year. The projection is now in sync with predictions from the International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank, but a tad lower than the 7.2% uptick projected by the RBI and Fitch Ratings. Earlier growth hopes for India were slightly modest, partly due to its strong 8.2% growth last year, and prospects of the global economy staying weak due to restrictive monetary policies and persistent geopolitical tensions. The World Bank estimates global growth to be the same as last year’s 2.6% pace, way below pre-pandemic levels. Despite this subdued external environment and the dissipation of post-COVID-19 rebound effects, the Bank’s economists now expect India’s growth to remain strong this year at 7%. However, external risks could cloud this, including pressures on supply chains and commodity prices, and a resurgence of inflation that could compel central banks to hold interest rates ‘higher for longer’.

The Bank expects private consumption to rise 5.7% and the farm sector to grow 4.1% this year, from last year’s anaemic trends. A recovery in farms could offset a slight moderation in industrial growth, and revive weak rural demand and help bolster private investment in the medium term, with GDP growth expected to hover in the 6.5%-6.7% range in coming years. On India’s imperative to generate non-farm jobs, the Bank acknowledged ideas such as the Production Linked Incentive schemes to support private manufacturing investments, and the new Employment-Linked Incentives. But these may not be able to generate the scale of activity India needs to engage its young workforce. The Bank has emphasised the need for a rethink on India’s approach to a critical growth engine — trade. India’s global trade share does not match its economy’s size, and it is yet to capitalise on the opportunity presented by China’s withdrawal from labour-intensive production or the much-vaunted ‘China plus one’ global reset. A concern is a decline in export-related jobs over the past decade, flagged by the Bank, coinciding with a shift towards capital- and skill-intensive exports. While trade facilitation steps and the pursuit of free trade agreements are commendable, some like the one with EFTA have limited potential, it noted. Progress has been hampered by new barriers to goods, services and investments, and it has called for a new strategic trade plan that reduces tariffs, non-tariff barriers as well as FDI curbs, and a rethink of the reluctance towards multilateral/ plurilateral pacts such as the RCEP. Policymakers must heed this prescription in earnest, and urgently.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Dissipation	“Dissipation” generally refers to the act of scattering or wasting something, particularly resources, energy, or time.	Waste Dispersement Extravagance Vanishing	Conservation Accumulation Preservation Efficiency
Resurgence	“Resurgence” refers to a revival or renewed interest in something after a period of decline or inactivity.	Renewed Resurrected Revival Reemerging	Declining Fading Diminishing Stagnant
Hampered	It refers to actions or conditions that slow progress or interfere with the smooth functioning of something.	Hindered Impeded Restrained Burdened	Facilitated Assisted Supported Promoted
Reluctance	“Reluctance” refers to a feeling of unwillingness or hesitation to do something.	Hesitation Unwillingness Resistance Doubt	Eagerness Willingness Enthusiasm Readiess

Title: ​ Demolition squad: On the Supreme Court and ‘bulldozer justice’

In raising questions about the legality of the demolition of houses belonging to alleged offenders, the Supreme Court of India has articulated a valid and widespread concern about the use of the bulldozer as a form of retribution. The targeted demolition of Muslim houses has become part of the governance model in BJP-ruled States and if the Court can end the impunity with which these extra-legal measures are used by those in power, it would be a wholesome intervention. As Justice B.R. Gavai, heading a Division Bench with Justice K.V. Viswanathan, remarked, the law indeed does not permit anyone’s home to be demolished just because they are accused in a case, and it cannot happen even in the case of a convict. The judiciary cannot be oblivious to the political symbolism that the bulldozer has acquired as an instrument of collective punishment inflicted on those the authorities label as rioters. There are instances of the houses of named suspects being demolished, without regard to the fact that the rest of the family may have nothing to do with the offence. However, considering that local laws do permit removal of encroachments and unauthorised constructions, the Bench has articulated its intention to lay down uniform guidelines on a pan-India basis to streamline the procedure for action against such structures. Observations by Justice Viswanathan indicate that these may involve the manner in which unauthorised structures are to be identified, notices issued to those concerned and a fair hearing given to them before any action.

It is here that the Court should tread carefully. The laying down of guidelines should not send out a message that the obvious correlation between incidents of communal violence, and the demolitions that follow them, can be blurred by administrative trickery. In many cases backdated eviction notices are produced to justify these demolitions, even as obvious gloating over the inhabitants’ plight betrays the political and communal motive. The idea of digitalising eviction notices may address the problem of backdated notices, but it may not be possible to make the transition in all parts of the country. The real question that the Court should grapple with is whether the claim that only encroachments are being demolished is enough to justify the egregious violation of the rule of law and absence of due process in several recent instances in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi. It ought to be clear by now that the ruling party in these States seeks to gain political mileage by giving the impression that the regime is acting sternly against anti-social elements, even while thinly masking the blatantly communal action by passing it off as an anti-encroachment drive.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Articulated	“Articulated” typically means expressed clearly and effectively. It can also refer to something that is jointed or has segments that allow movement.	Expressed Eloquent	Unclear Muddled
Encroachments	“Encroachments” refer to the act of gradually or stealthily advancing into or taking over an area or domain that is not rightfully yours.	Intrusions Invasions	Respect Protection
Egregious	“Egregious” describes something that is outstandingly bad or shocking, often in a way that is blatantly obvious.	Shocking Outrageous	Inconspicuous Moderate

Title: ​ Another escalation: On the Manipur ground report

In a significant deterioration of an already fraught situation in Manipur, two persons were killed and at least nine were injured in a bomb attack using drones in villages in the Meitei-majority Imphal West district. The perpetrators are believed to be Kuki-Zo militants. Kuki-Zo groups and partisans have claimed that the attacks were in retaliation to an attempt by Meitei vigilante and insurgent groups to “ambush” Kuki-zo people in the area. While this claim remains unproven, the use of drones — a tactic employed by pro-democracy insurgents in Myanmar against the junta — points to a dangerous escalation of the ethnic conflict in the State. Coming in the wake of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s assertion that a peace resolution will be achieved in six months, the dastardly attacks could indicate that they are either a deliberate ploy to heighten tensions or just another reminder that ethnic hostilities remain entrenched. That insurgents could use sophisticated drones to attack civilians also suggests a glaring intelligence failure and the inability of the security forces to ensure that the militants are contained. The government has ordered police combing operations but this will not be enough. Unless there is a strong measure to disarm the various groups in the valley and the hills, the situation could exacerbate further.

For nearly 16 months, both the Union and State governments have been content with using security forces to maintain law and order through the creation of buffer zones between the hills and the valley and for the political status quo to remain intact. Repeated violence and the inability of both governments led by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to work out any breakthrough that will allow for even a dialogue between civil society representatives from these communities suggest that this policy is a failed one. There is little doubt left any more that the hardening of ethnic identities among the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities is a consequence of the failure of the policies pursued by the Union and State governments. Neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Mr. Singh has changed tack since the setback faced by the BJP in the 2024 general election, when it lost both the Lok Sabha constituencies in the State. The Centre continues to ignore critiques of its lackadaisical approach, while Mr. Singh is hell-bent on remaining in power despite his incompetence and a distinct lack of confidence evinced by both communities. While the fresh attacks call for security forces to calibrate a strong response, a concomitant change in approach and leadership in the State is a must for a chance to be given to peace.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Deterioration	“Deterioration” refers to the process of becoming progressively worse in quality, condition, or function. It can describe the decline of physical objects, health, environmental conditions, or even abstract things like relationships or economic situations.	Decline Degradation Decay  Degeneration	Improvement Enhancement Restoration Recovery
Insurgent	“Insurgent” refers to a person who takes part in an armed rebellion against a recognized authority or government, often with the aim of overthrowing or challenging the existing power structure.	Rebel Revolutionary Guerrilla Mutineer	Loyalist Patriot Supporter Ally

Open season: On the U.S. Open

The new order in tennis has been a long time coming, but it is here 

There was a time in men’s tennis when the defeat of a favourite, the top seed or the defending champion in the first week of a Grand Slam tournament was less of a shock and more awe. But over the last two decades, wherein Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have been the hegemonic forces, such bursts of surprise have been few and rare. Seen in this context, the exits of Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic — against Botic van de Zandschulp and Alexei Popyrin, respectively — in a 24-hour span from the ongoing US Open appear seismic. Alcaraz is the World No.3, a four-time Major champion and a bona fide title-contender wherever he plays. Djokovic is the World No.2, the defending champion and winner of a men’s record 24 Slams. The reverses could well be attributed to the draining summers, physically and emotionally, Alcaraz and Djokovic experienced. The 21-year-old Spaniard won the French Open-Wimbledon double — among the hardest feats in all sport — and fought Djokovic tooth and nail in the Paris Olympics final before settling for the silver medal. Djokovic underwent a knee surgery in early June but made the Wimbledon final in less than six weeks after that before clinching the elusive singles gold medal in Paris, the one prize that was missing from his glittering cabinet.

In a larger sense, however, it is Djokovic’s third-round loss that can upend world tennis. Not since the 2017 Australian Open, when he lost in the second round to Denis Istomin, has the Serb gone out of a Major this early. It also means 2024 will join 2017 as the only two seasons since 2010 that have not seen him lift a Major. The failure is a telltale sign that Djokovic, at 37, will no longer be at the top of the totem pole. In fact, 2024 will be the first since 2002 without a Slam winner from among Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. World No.1 Jannik Sinner now has a golden opportunity to firmly establish the new order by adding the US Open to his 2024 Australian Open crown. The Italian entered New York under a cloud, with the revelation that despite testing positive for a prohibited substance twice in March, he was cleared of any wrongdoing. The 23-year-old wobbled in the first round but has since looked serene. Sinner is drawn to meet the 2021 titlist Daniil Medvedev in the last eight, a tough nut to crack despite having beaten the Russian the last five times on hard courts. But as the legendary Billie Jean King once said, “pressure is a privilege, and champions adjust”.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Hegemonic	Relating to or characterized by dominance or control by one group, state, or ideology over others. It often implies a leading or overarching influence in a given sphere, such as political, social, or cultural.	Dominant Controlling Leading Authoritative	Subordinate Submissive Marginal Weak
Clinching	The act of securing or finalizing something decisively. It often refers to the moment when something is confirmed or made certain.	Securing Confirming Finalizing Settling	Losing Failing Miss Releasing
Revelation	The act of making something known that was previously hidden, secret, or unknown. It often involves new insights or discoveries.	Disclosure Insight Unveiling Discovery	Concealment Suppression Secrecy Ignorance
Serene	Serene refers an act of calm and untroubled state of mind or environment.	Calm Peaceful Tranquil Placid	Agitated Troubled Chaotic Disturbed

Growth matrix: On the economy’s performance

Economic outlook is evenly poised but reforms need acceleration

The first official gauge of the economy’s performance so far in 2024-25 pegs real GDP growth at 6.7% between April and June, a five-quarter low and below the central bank’s projection. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which expects a 7.2% GDP growth through 2024-25 following last year’s 8.2% surge, had revised its estimate for Q1 from 7.2% to 7.1%, earlier this month. The actual numbers are underwhelming and mark a clear cooling in the economic momentum, although some base effects are in play. Growth in the Gross Value Added (GVA) in the economy came in higher at 6.8%, after a year of widening divergences with the GDP print. At the onset of this fiscal year, major hopes hinged on a normal monsoon boosting farm sector output and easing inflation, which could lift the weak rural demand and private consumption witnessed last year. Higher demand would bolster private firms’ propensity to invest in new capacities, and ease the pressure on public spending to prop up growth. That the government would still ramp up capital expenditure by 17% to ₹11.11 lakh crore this year, while it waited for this narrative to unfold, was the other pillar underpinning this year’s growth aspirations.

As things stand, this script is yet to fully play out. The stretched general election has sharply scuppered public capex, and the government will need to redouble efforts to meet its spending goals. The good news is that private consumption spends bounced to a six-quarter peak of 7.4%, partly thanks to easing headline inflation. But food prices remain elevated. The monsoon has been better than last year but a tad erratic and uneven, temporally as well as spatially. Farm GVA growth has moved up to a four-quarter high of 2% but the next few weeks will determine whether the sector rebounds in earnest (and food inflation cools). Projections of above normal downpours in September may well affect standing kharif crops. This is a key monitorable for the RBI, whose independent monetary policy panel members have flagged a 1% GDP growth loss this year and next, if interest rate cuts are delayed. India may still grow 6.5% to 7% this year, but most expect growth to slip to 6.5% in 2025-26, with the medium-term potential hovering around that number. This is too slow for comfort. As top IMF official Gita Gopinath pointed out recently, policymakers need to urgently pursue meaningful reforms across all aspects of the economy, and improve the efficiency of its institutions and the judiciary. This is critical to lift its growth potential and fulfil hopes of creating gainful employment for its young, fast enough for India’s demographics to yield a dividend.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Underwhelming	“Underwhelming” describes something that fails to meet expectations or does not impress as much as anticipated.	Disappointing Mediocre Unimpressive Average	Impressive Exciting Thrilling Remarkable
Divergences	“Divergences” refers to the state of moving apart, differing, or deviating from a common point or standard.	Differences Variations Deviations Contrasts	Convergence Agreement Similarity Consistency
Propensity	“Propensity” refers to a natural inclination or tendency to behave in a particular way or to have a particular condition. It describes a person’s or thing’s predisposition toward something.	Inclination Tendency Affinity Bias	Disinclination Resistance Indifference Reluctance
Scuppered	To cause something such as a plan or an opportunity to fail	Ruined Sabotaged Destroyed Defeated	Enabled Supported Promoted Advanced

Title: ​ Biotech enigma: On the BioE3 proposal and beyond

Earlier this week the Cabinet cleared a proposal, though without specifying a budget, called BioE3 or Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment. Its thrust is to boost manufacturing in the biotechnology sector. Since 1986, India has had a dedicated department for biotechnology, and which deserves substantial credit. For instance, the progress in vaccine development, diagnostics and biologicals, that has bolstered India’s reputation as a ‘vaccine factory’, is due to the initiatives of this department. However, biotechnology did not quite spawn the equivalent of the IT revolution. There is much more to an industrialised biotechnology sector beyond vaccines. There are billion-dollar conglomerates today that rest on high-value microbes, gene-modification technologies, bio-plastics, bio-materials, and high-precision medical devices. However, despite the know-how and human resource capital, only a few Indian biotechs have global resonance, as there are few local manufacturers who can supply Indian laboratories/startups with the ingredients and devices to make products. The reliance on imports means that India loses its international competitiveness. The BioE3 policy aims to correct this.

In the last four decades, India has funded biotech research institutions but now sees that it needs to be going beyond and setting up companies, in public private partnership mode, to bolster biotechnology manufacturing. There are six verticals that this initiative envisages: bio-based chemicals and enzymes; functional foods and smart proteins; precision biotherapeutics; climate-resilient agriculture; carbon capture, and futuristic marine and space research. Futurists have been saying that the era of fossil-fuel industrialisation is over and humanity will have to rely on the natural world — for food and for making consumer products. This is to solve the global problem of non-biodegradable waste and carbon emissions. Future industries must be grounded in environmentally benign products, and this is impossible without sophisticated biotechnology. By setting up bio-foundries and bio-artificial intelligence hubs, the policy hopes there will be avenues for a variety of biotechnologists to congregate. Well intentioned this may be, but India’s woes with manufacturing have chronic causes. Without establishing enabling grounds for long-term capital investment — and these have little to do with biotechnology per se — top-down initiatives will have limited impact. The BioE3 policy must be a deeply collaborative effort between Centre and States. Rather than expect quick returns, the government must provide financial and infrastructural support over the long term.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Envisages	“Envisages” means to imagine or conceive of something as a future possibility. It involves forming a mental image or plan of what something might be like or how it might turn out.	Imagines Foresees Visualizes Conceives	Dismisses Ignores Overlooks Underestimates
Sophisticated	In a social or cultural sense, it describes someone or something that is elegant, polished, and well-informed, often due to experience or education.	Refined Elegant Complex Advanced	Unsophisticated Primitive Simple Rough

Title: ​ ​ ​War And Peace: On India And A Russia-Ukraine Peace Initiative

Just days after his visit to Kyiv, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s telephonic conversations with U.S. President Joseph Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have raised hopes that New Delhi is ready to take the plunge and attempt peacemaking in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Mr. Modi’s travel to the UN in September, where he will meet U.S. and European leaders and possibly Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy again, and another visit to Russia in October for the BRICS summit, have fuelled those hopes. However, those who are boosting speculation of an Indian role may benefit from a careful consideration of the circumstances, and India’s position thus far. Since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, India has remained distant from the outcomes of what External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had once called “Europe’s war” and any peace process that does not involve bringing Russia and Ukraine to the table for talks. It had even disassociated itself from the Swiss peace summit. While Mr. Modi has consistently said that India is “on the side of peace” alone, New Delhi has been seen to be partial to Moscow, given its historical ties and military and energy dependencies. It will need to recast itself in a more unbiased image. Meanwhile, the war continues without pause, indicating the belief in both parties of there still being military gains to be made. That Russia launched deadly attacks on Ukraine just before the Modi Moscow visit in July, and Ukraine carried out operations into Russia’s Kursk Oblast just before his visit to Kyiv last week, demonstrate the dangerous power play and messaging Mr. Zelenskyy and Mr. Putin can indulge in, regardless of their guest’s sensitivities.

With such entrenched positions, New Delhi must proceed with care if it indeed seeks to join the ranks of others wanting involvement in conflict resolution. Successful efforts have been few, and have required focused agendas — the Black Sea Grain Initiative; the IAEA effort, on nuclear safety at the Zaporizhzhia power plant; and the latest exchange of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners. India must also articulate its own principles for a ceasefire compromise and lasting peace. The Modi government may well benefit from studying India’s own history: In the 1950s, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, at the instance of Vienna, mediated with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev on troops withdrawal from the north-east zone of Austria post-war, in return for promises of Austrian neutrality. An Indian peace initiative will be further complicated by the proposals Ukraine and Russia have themselves put forth: Mr. Zelenskyy insists on a full military withdrawal from Ukraine by Russia first, and Mr. Putin has called for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from regions now occupied by Russia, and for Kyiv to formally give up any efforts to join NATO.

Meaning of the word:

Word	Meaning	Synonyms	Antonyms
Speculation	“Speculation” refers to the act of forming theories or guesses about something without having all the necessary information or evidence. It often involves making predictions or assumptions based on incomplete data.	Guesswork Conjecture Assumption Theorizing	Certainty Fact Proof Evidence
Indulge	means to allow oneself to enjoy something, often something that is considered a luxury or a pleasure. It can also mean to give in to a desire or craving.	Pamper Spoil Satiate Gratify	Resist Deprive Restrict Abstain
Articulate	As a verb: To articulate means to express or convey thoughts, ideas, or feelings clearly and effectively. For example, if someone articulates their point well, they are able to communicate their ideas in a way that is easy for others to understand. As an adjective: When used to describe a person, articulate means that they are able to speak clearly and express themselves well. For instance, an articulate speaker is someone who communicates their message in a clear and effective manner.	Eloquent Clear Expressive Well-spoken	Inarticulate Unclear Mumbled Tongue-tied