Directions (1-10): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below them. Certain words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
One of the key non-military issues that does not just bedevil India-China relations but also significantly affects many countries in the region is the inability of the two Asian giants to communicate, cooperate and coordinate on matters of regional trade and connectivity which could have benefited all. On that note, one hopes that the stand taken by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on declining to endorse China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) at the just concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ meeting is more of a strategic bargaining position, and not an instance of obstinate negative regionalism that has been plaguing the region for long.
Looking into South Asia, where most multi-country connectivity initiatives are usually deemed to be mere talk shops, one recent positive development has been the trial run, on April 23, of a Bangladesh-Nepal bus service through India under the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) motor vehicles agreement. It shows that the ambition of establishing physical connectivity among the smaller states of South Asia through India can eventually be realised and break the usual political gridlock that characterises the region.
Although Bhutan failed to ratify the agreement due to opposition from its parliament, instead of halting progress, the country asked other stakeholders to move ahead and expressed hope of joining the initiative if and once it gets clearance from the parliament. Bhutan’s positive go-ahead not only demonstrated the immense potential to be realised through simple cooperation but also showed that it is possible to implement pragmatic plans even when all members are not able to participate at the same time. Poor connectivity is the major reason why intra-regional trade is among the lowest in South Asia. South Asia, with its 1.8 billion population, is only capable of conducting around 5% intraregional trade as connectivity remains a constant barrier. Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) continue to plague the region and addressing infrastructure deficits can do away with 80% of the NTBs. In addition to enhancing trade, connectivity can significantly improve people-to-people interaction leading to better understanding, greater tolerance\ and closer diplomatic relations in the region.
States in South and Southeast Asia are involved in multiple regional initiatives led by India and China but are unable to get the benefit due to their slow progress. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation remains moribund with little hope of it becoming functional in the near future. The Bay of Bengal too remains among the least integrated regions in spite of having immense potential of enhancing trade through utilisation of its ports and waterways. The India-led Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) involving Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, has made little progress. Serving as a funnel to the Malacca Straits, one of the world’s busiest waterways, the Bay of Bengal has now become one of the most important strategic hotspots for global trade and all countries in BIMSTEC are losing out due to this prolonged period of dormancy. In all this time, the organisation has only had meetings, negotiations and leaders’ summit and stalled free trade agreement negotiations. However, there has been some progress through the establishment of the BIMSTEC Energy Centre and a task force on Trans Power Exchange and Development Projects, which was established to develop a memorandum of understanding for the establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection.
On the other hand, China is leading its own regional ambition with its BRI. A portion of the Maritime Silk Route crosses the Bay of Bengal and involves Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Both China and India are pursuing regional initiatives on their own which could lead to benefit for all involved states. Regional agendas could have been pursued efficiently if the initiatives were complementary rather than competing. If the BRI, BIMSTEC and BBIN were developed through coordination and consultation, led by the two Asian giants, the projects under the schemes could have been implemented more efficiently. With the minimum required cooperation in pursuing regional initiatives, India and China can significantly enhance trade, investment and connectivity in the region. This would not only would be a win-win for the two giants but also enormously benefit smaller countries.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet again, after the Wuhan informal summit, in June for the SCO summit in Qingdao, China, they have an opportunity to forge a pragmatic understanding on the efficacy of regional initiatives through greater communication, enhanced cooperation and better coordination. In the end, slow moving regional projects end up hurting most the resource-constrained citizenry of the region who are deprived from the benefits emanating from well-thought-out and carefully strategised regional connectivity projects. Caught in the quagmire of continental, regional and sub-regional geopolitics, the smaller states are losing out and having to pay the price of missed economic opportunities as the two Asian giants shake hands but seldom see eye to eye even on matters of common economic and strategic interests. Mr. Modi and Mr. Xi must seize the chance to change this.
Q1. What does the stand taken by external affairs minister at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation depict?
(a) a strategy to get the best resources to enhance reginal connectivity of the region.
(b) a negotiation strategy to find a "win-win" solution to their dispute.
(c) a stubborn and excessive attachment for one's region.
(d) a strategy to dupe the other organisations.
(e) None of the Above
S1. Ans.(b)
Sol. Refer 1st para 4th line.
Q2. What is meant by the phrase " talk shops" as is used in the passage?
(a) a place or group as a centre for productive actions.
(b) a place or group regarded as a centre for unproductive talk rather than action.
(c) a place or group where confidential issues are discussed
(d) a place or group discussing the future prospects and efficiencies of projects undertaken.
(e) None of the Above
S2. Ans.(b)
Sol. Talk shops: a place or group regarded as a centre for unproductive talk rather than action.
Q3. What does Bhutan's positive go ahead, even without its consent on the agreement, signify?
(a) Initiatives deem to be mere talk shops without the consent of all member groups.
(b) Its almost impossible to cater to a plan without the ratification of all members.
(c) Practical plans can be implemented even if all members are not able to participate at the same time.
(d) Bhutan and its Parliament are in opposition when it comes to negotiating over agreements.
(e) None of the Above
S3. Ans.(c)
Sol. Refer 2nd para 3rd line.
Q4. Which of the following are the benefits that connectivity can provide, as mentioned in the passage?
(I) Improving connectivity can enhance trade among the nations.
(II) Can improve interaction among people and develop proper understanding.
(III) Can help in developing diplomatic relations in the region.
(a) Only (I)
(b) Only (II)
(c) Only (III)
(d) All (I) (II) and (III)
(e) None of the Above
S4. Ans.(d)
Sol. Refer 2nd para last 3 lines.
Q5. Which of the following statements is/are correct in context with the passage?
(I) Bhutan ratified the agreement in consultation with its parliament.
(II) Poor connectivity is the major reason for decline in inter-regional trade.
(III) South and Southeast Asia gets various benefits through various initiatives by India and China.
(a) Only (I)
(b) Only (II)
(c) Only (III)
(d) All (I) (II) and (III)
(e) None of the Above
S5. Ans.(e)
Sol. None of the statements is correct.
Q6. How can the regional initiatives pursued by China and India become more effective?
(a) Pursuing the initiatives by carrying out proper compatibility amongst each other.
(b) Pursuing the initiatives independently by being competitive with each other.
(c) Pursuing the initiatives by negotiating with other powerful countries.
(d) Pursuing the initiatives in consultation with BIMSTEC.
(e) None of the Above
S6. Ans.(a)
Sol. Refer 4th para second line.
Q7. Choose the word which best expresses the meaning of the following word given in bold in the passage
BEDEVIL
(a) Relieve
(b) Abet
(c) excruciate
(d) console
(e) soothe
S7. Ans.(c)
Sol. Bedevil:(of something bad) cause great and continual trouble to.
Excruciate: to inflict intense pain on
Q8. Choose the word which best expresses the meaning of the following word given in bold in the passage
OBSTINATE
(a) compliant
(b) pliable
(c) fickle
(d) adamant
(e) amenable
S8. Ans.(d)
Sol. Obstinate: stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.
Adamant: refusing to be persuaded or to change one's mind.
Q9. Choose the word which is most opposite to the following word given in bold in the passage
PRAGMATIC
(a) practical
(b) moribund
(c) idealistic
(d) diplomatic
(e) realistic
S9. Ans.(c)
Sol. Pragmatic: dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.
Idealistic: characterized by idealism; unrealistically aiming for perfection.
Q10. Choose the word which is most opposite to the following word given in bold in the passage
EMANATE
(a) discharge
(b) inhale
(c) emit
(d) shoot
(e) expel
S10. Ans.(b)
Sol. Emanate: originate from; be produced by.
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