The announcement of an ambitious multimodal infrastructure project to connect India with Europe via West Asia must be seen not just as an effective counter to the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) but also as a bold move to chart a new course in the changing world. The unveiling of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi, marks a major breakthrough in India’s efforts for deeper connectivity with the world. The memorandum of understanding signed between the governments of India, the US, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, the UAE, France, Germany and Italy to establish the IMEC is truly a historic moment as it helps strengthen the country’s role as a key driver in shaping regional connectivity.
Drawing strength from the strategic and economic synergies of the participating nations, the mega project is being envisioned as a network of transport corridors, including railway lines and sea lanes, which is expected to aid economic growth through integration between Asia, the Arabian Gulf and Europe. The corridor will include a rail link as well as an electricity cable, a hydrogen pipeline and a high-speed data cable. The ambitious initiative has multiple advantages. It would increase prosperity among the countries involved through an increased flow of energy and digital communications. The project would help deal with the lack of infrastructure needed for growth in lower- and middle-income nations. It involves the building of a railway line across the Arabian Peninsula through the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and developing shipping connectivity to India and Europe on either end of this corridor. It will also help to effectively counter the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative.