14 October 2023

IMEC: India-Middle East-Economic Corridor is effectively dead': Fears grow as Israel declares war on Hamas

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was launched last month on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. Hamas' unprovoked attack on Israel and subsequent response by Tel Aviv can reverse some of the ambitious initiatives in the Middle East. 
  • The US has been pushing for normalization of the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and an economic corridor from India to Europe that will pass through the Middle East. 
  • The fate of these two now hangs in balance as Tel Aviv has declared war, and is bombarding the Gaza Strip following the deadliest attack in years by the militant organization Hamas on Israel. 
The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was launched last month on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. 
  • The IMEC will comprise two separate corridors, the east corridor connecting India to the Arabian Gulf and the northern corridor connecting the Arabian Gulf to Europe. 
  • It will include a railway that will provide a cross-border ship-to-rail transit network, enabling goods and services to transit to, from, and between India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and Europe
The IMEC has been dubbed as a counter to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, as Israel has now caught into a bloody war, many suspect that this corridor will take off from here. SL Kanthan, a geopolitical analyst, said that Israel has cut off electricity to the Gaza Strip, and Israeli/American F-35 jets are bombing the region. "Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Qatar have voiced support for Hamas. 
  • The US plans for IMEC corridor or Saudi-Israel peace now don't look promising." 
India-Middle East-Economic Corridor is effectively dead': Fears grow as Israel  declares war on Hamas - BusinessToday

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