US President Joe Biden recently said that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas could help make an important project called the IMEC Corridor a reality. The India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) aims to create better transportation and communication links between India and Europe, passing through the Middle East. This initiative is seen as an alternative to China’s One Belt, One Road project.
Eight countries—India, the US, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the European Union, France, Germany, and Italy—signed a deal in New Delhi on September 9, 2023, to support this project. At the G20 meeting in Delhi on September 23, Biden shared his vision of connecting India to Europe through the Middle East, which he believes can now happen because of the new agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Before this, the IMEC project faced challenges after a Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. A report from the Hudson Institute think tank explains that the IMEC project helps India play a bigger role in shaping global trade routes and supply chains. By offering a different option to China’s initiative, India is showing how it wants to grow its economic influence and improve infrastructure in the region. The report also highlights India’s role in helping facilitate peace with the Abraham Accords, marking a significant shift in diplomacy.
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