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At the Centre: On India-Central Asia summit

India must stay in step with the changes in the Central Asian region

As the joint statement at the end of the India-Central Asia virtual summit on Thursday noted, ties
between India and the region have been historically close, with “civilisational, cultural, trade and
people-to-people linkages”, but the lack of access to land routes, and the situation in Afghanistan are
among the biggest challenges. Hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Presidents of the
five Central Asian Republics (CARs), it was a first, building on years of dialogue. The summit also came
after the meeting of NSAs in Delhi, where they built on several common themes of concern and
priority. To begin with, there is the problem of routing trade — a paltry $2 billion, spent mostly on
Kazakhstan’s energy exports to India. In comparison, China’s CAR trade figures have exceeded $41
billion — they could double by 2030 — apart from the billions of dollars invested in the Belt and Road
Initiative. With Pakistan denying India transit trade, New Delhi’s other option is to smoothen the
route through Iran’s Chabahar port, but that will involve greater investment in rail and road routes to
Iran’s northern boundaries with the CARs, something India is hesitant to do in the face of U.S.
sanctions. A third option is to use the Russia-Iran International North-South Transport Corridor via
Bandar Abbas port, but this is not fully operational and at least two CARs (Uzbekistan and
Turkmenistan) are not members. India too, has dragged its feet over TAPI gas pipeline plans
(Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India), due to supply guarantees, given the tensions with
Pakistan. Finally, there is Afghanistan: the tenuous link between Central Asia and South Asia, where
after the Taliban takeover, there is no official government, a humanitarian crisis is building, and there
are worries of terrorism and radicalism spilling over its boundaries. Each theme has been outlined in
the summit joint statement as areas to work upon. They have also agreed to more structured
engagement, including the setting up of joint working groups, on Afghanistan and Chabahar, and
more educational and cultural opportunities.

While the attempt by India to institutionalise exchanges and press the pedal on trade, investment
and development partnerships with the CARs is timely, it is by no means the only country
strengthening its ties here. While Russia is the most strategic player, China is now the biggest
development and infrastructure partner to the countries. The CAR Presidents held a similar virtual
summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier. Pakistan has also increased its outreach to the CARs,
signing transit trade agreements, offering trade access to the Indian Ocean at Gwadar and Karachi.
India will need to move nimbly to ensure it stays in step with the changes, and to make certain the
future of ties more closely resembles the deep ties of the distant past. [Practice Exercise]

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Vocabulary
1. In step (with) (phrase) – in accord, in 12. In comparison (noun) – comparatively, by
harmony, in agreement, in tune, in line comparison

2. Virtual (adjective) – Online.
3. Ties (noun) – association, relationship
4. Civilisational (adjective) – Of relating to
civilization.
5. Build on (phrasal verb) – Use something as a
basis for further development.
6. Dialogue (noun) – conversation, talk,
communication, interchange
17. Sanction (noun) – Measures taken by a nation
7. National Security Advisor (NSAs) (noun) –The
National Security Advisor is the senior official
on the National Security Council of India, and
the chief adviser to the Prime Minister of
India on national security policy and
international affairs. Ajit Doval is the current 18. International North-South Transport
NSA, and has the same rank as a Union
Cabinet Minister.
8. Theme (noun) – subject, topic, subject matter
9. To begin with (phrase) – at first, at the start,
13. Transit Trade (noun) – Trade involving the
passage of goods through a country.
14. Smoothen (verb) – Deal successfully with (a
problem or difficulty)
15. Hesitant (adjective) – uncertain, undecided,
dubious
16. In the face of (phrase) – despite,
notwithstanding
to coerce another to conform to an
international agreement or norms of conduct,
typically in the form of restrictions on trade
Corridor (noun) – The International North–
South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a 7,200-
km-long multi-mode network of ship, rail, and
road route for moving freight between India,
Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central
Asia and Europe.

19. Drag one’s feet (phrase) – (of a person or

10. Trade route (noun) – A trade route is a
logistical network identified as a series of
pathways and stoppages used for the
commercial transport of cargo.
organization) be deliberately slow or
reluctant to act.
20. Given (preposition) – considering, taking into
account

11. Paltry (adjective) – small, little, meagre

21. Tension (noun) – strained relations
/

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22. Tenuous (adjective) – slight, insubstantial, or norm in an organization or culture.

negligible, weak

23. Takeover (noun) – gaining of control 33. Press the pedal (phrase) – To work hard on
something.

34. Timely (adverb) – opportune, well timed, at

24. Humanitarian (adjective) – Denoting an event
or situation which causes or involves the right time
widespread human suffering, especially one
35. By no means (phrase) – Not at all; certainly
which requires the large-scale provision of
not.
aid.
36. Strengthen (verb) – make strong, make
25. Radicalism (noun) – The beliefs or actions of
people who advocate thorough or complete stronger, build up,
political or social reform.
37. Strategic (adjective) – tactical, politic,
26. Spill over (phrasal verb) – (of a bad situation judicious, prudent,
or strong emotion) reach a point at which it
can no longer be controlled or contained. 38. Outreach (noun) –involvement with or
activity in the community, especially in the
27. Outline (verb) – summarize, précis, rough context of social welfare.
out, sketch out,
39. Nimbly (adverb) – agilely, quickly, smartly,
28. Work upon (phrasal verb) – to work hard to briskly
improve something.
40. Ensure (verb) – Make sure, make certain.
29. Structured (adjective) – organized, well
ordered
41. Resemble (verb) – look like, be similar to, be
30. Engagement (noun) – Involvement, like
participation.
42. Distant (adjective) – long ago, bygone
31. Set up (phrasal verb) – establish, start, begin,
get going

32. Institutionalise (verb) – Establish (something,

typically a practice or activity) as a convention

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Practice Exercise
Direction (Q1 – Q3): Select the best express synonym of the give word [Editorial Page]
1. Nimbly
A. Insipid
B. Quickly
C. Finesse
D. Didactic
2. Tenuous
A. Temerity
B. Acrimonious
C. Insubstantial
D. Machination
3. Paltry
A. Little
B. Stagnation
C. Abortive
D. Parsimonious
4. What is the antonym of “Hesitant“ ?
A. aristocratic
B. certain
C. Litigate
D. Implement
5. Idiom and phrase: Press the pedal
A. Press the Pedal to move forward
B. Deliberately slow or reluctant to act.
C. To work hard on something.
D. Reach at a point
6. Para jumbled based on Editorial: Open the schools [Answer]
P. By no means does this suggest that an Omicron infection is mild or that those vaccinated
can be assured of pre-2020 nonchalance.
Q. India continues to record over 2,80,000 cases every day, which on its own is an
uncomfortable statistic.
R. The States that are in the throes of the wave now report, on average, that more than 95% of
their available beds are unoccupied.
S. However, numbers are meaningless without context and the data from States show that
what was most feared about Omicron — an upsurge of hospitalisations and indiscriminate
mortality — has not come to pass.
T. These are not too far from that observed during the second wave and it is understandable
why State administrators continue to impose lockdowns.

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A. QSTRP B. QTSRP C. RQSTP D. TPQSR E. RPTQS

Cloze test based on Editorial: Wrong route [Answer]
The Kerala government’s proposal to ……………7………………its Lok Ayukta Act through an ordinance
appears questionable and hasty. Even though the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government is
………………8…………….legal opinion to justify the proposed amendments, it does give an impression
that it is in an unseemly ………………9………………..to remove the finality attached to a provision that
allows the anti-corruption judicial body to direct a public servant to vacate office, if an
………………10………………is substantiated. The criticism by the Opposition that the change may dilute
the Lok Ayukta law appears valid, as Section 14 of the Lok Ayukta Act is its most stringent provision.
7. A. dissipate B. proscribe
C. amend D. exemplify

8. A. citing B. inundating
C. daunting D. Defaming

9. A. analogy B. surfeit
C. microcosm D. hurry

10. A. agenda B. allegation

C. antecedent D. euphemism
Direction (Q11- Q15): Spot, the grammatical error in the given sentence.

11. Yesterday while (A)/ crossing the road (B)/ he was (C)/ run out by a truck. (D)/ No Error. (E)

12. They have requested me (A)/ not to take ant action (B)/unless and until I don’t see (C)/ all the
documents. (D)/ No Error. (E)

13. Ramu told me (A)/ that I am (B)/ ready to do (C)/ any work. (D)/ No Error. (E)

14. He had (A)/ taken off shirt and threw (B)/ it on the floor (C)/ before entering the house. (D) /
No Error. (E)

15. The children observed silent (A)/ just for a while (B)/ before they ran (C)/ to greet their leader .
(D)/ No Error. (E)

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Answer
1. B 2.C 3.A 4.B 5.C 6.B 7.C 8.A 9.D 10.B 11.D 12.C 13.B 14.B
15. A [Practice Exercise] [Cloze test]
Explanations
6. India continues to record over 2,80,000 cases every day, which on its own is an uncomfortable
statistic. These are not too far from that observed during the second wave and it is
understandable why State administrators continue to impose lockdowns. However, numbers
are meaningless without context and the data from States show that what was most feared
about Omicron — an upsurge of hospitalisations and indiscriminate mortality — has not come
to pass. The States that are in the throes of the wave now report, on average, that more than
95% of their available beds are unoccupied. By no means does this suggest that an Omicron
infection is mild or that those vaccinated can be assured of pre-2020 nonchalance.
7. Amend (verb) – revise, alter, change, modify संशोधित करना
8. Cite (verb) – refer to, make reference to, mention हवाला दे ना
9. Hurry (noun) – haste, flurry, hustle, urgency जल्दबाजी

10. Allegation (noun) – accusation, imputation, charge, indictment आरोप

11. D) 'run out’ के बदऱे 'run over' का प्रयोग होगा। 'Run out’ का अथथ है 'go out (बाहर जाना),
‘run over' का अथथ है 'to crush' (कुचल दे ना) I
जैसे – (i) When a thief entered the house, Ram ran out.
(ii) He was run over by a car.
12. (C) 'don't’ का प्रयोग नह ीं होगा क्योंकक unless, until में 'not' का अथथ विद्यमान है । अतः,
unless and until में भी 'not' का अथथ विद्यमान है । ध्यान रखे कक unless, until से शरू
ु होनेिाऱे
Clause में कभी भी 'not ‘ का प्रयोग नह ीं होता है।
(i) Unless he sees me, he will not understand me. [न कक Unless he does not see me.]
13. (B) 'I am' के बदऱे 'he was' का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक जब Reporting Speech Past Tense में हो तो
Indirect Narration में Reported Speech को आिश्यकता Past Tense में बदऱ ददया जाता है तथा
Reported Speech में प्रयक्
ु त Pronoun को भी
S O N
1 2 3
ननयम के अनस
ु ार बदऱ ददया जाता है I

जैसे - (I) He said to me, I am ready... [Direct]

(II) He told me that he was ready. [Indirect]

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14. (B) "threw' के बदऱे thrown" का प्रयोग होगा क्योंकक have has, had के साथ हमेशा V3 का
प्रयोग होता है I
जैसे - (i) He had taken off... and thrown
15. (A) 'silent' के बदऱे 'silence' का प्रयोग होगा क्योकक 'silent' एक Adjective है जबकक 'silence'
एक Noun; और जब ‘observe' Transitive Verb के रूप में काम करता है तो इसके बाद Object
का प्रयोग होता है I
जैसे - (i) She was silent.

Adj.
(ii) She observed it.

Obj.(Pro.)

(iii) She observed silence.

Obj.(Noun)

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Explanation of other important word

Sr.NO Words Meanings
Q1 Insipid adjective Dull; bland; banal फीका
Finesse noun Skillful maneuvering; subtlety; craftiness चाऱाकी, तफ़सीऱ, कपट
Didactic adjective Intended to teach; morally instructive; pedantic शशऺाप्रद, उपदे शात्मक

Q2 Temerity noun Boldness; recklessness; audacity उतािऱापन

Acrimonious adjective Full of spite; bitter; nasty उग्र, रूखा, चचड़चचड़ापन
Machination noun Scheming Activity for an evil purpose चाऱबाजी
Q3 Stagnation noun Motionless; inactivity स्थथरता
Abortive adjective Unsuccessful ननष्फऱ
Parsimonious adjective Stingy ककफ़ायती
Q4 Aristocratic adjective Of noble birth; snobbish भव्य, कुऱ नतींत्रीय,
Litigate verb To try in court; to engage in legal proceedings मक
ु दमा करना

Implement verb To carry out कायाथस्वित करना

Q7 Dissipate verb To thin out, drift away, or dissolve नष्ट करना
Proscribe verb To outlaw; to prohibit दे श से ननकाऱना
To illustrate by example; to serve as a good
Exemplify verb उदाहरण दे ना
example
To flood; to cover completely with water; to
Q8 Inundate verb बाढ़ ऱाना
overwhelm

Daunt verb To make fearful; to intimidate काबू में करना, भय ददखाना

Defame verb To libel or slander; to ruin the good name of बदनाम करना
Q9 Surfeit noun Excess; an excessive amount अनतरे क
A comparison of one thing to another;
Analogy noun समानता
similarity
Microcosm noun The world in miniature सक्ष्
ू म जगत
Q10 Agenda noun Program; the thing to be done कायथसच
ू ी
Antecedent noun Someone or something that went before पि
ू प
थ द; पि
ू ग
थ ामी
Pleasant or inoffensive expression used in place
Euphemism noun प्रेयोस्क्त, व्यींजना
of unpleasant or offensive one

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