Launched in 2023 during India’s G20 presidency, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a multi-modal trade and connectivity project linking India’s western ports to Europe via the Arabian Gulf. Designed to cut shipping times by 40%, IMEC consists of two main legs — the India-Gulf corridor and the Gulf-Europe corridor. Goods would move from India to the UAE, travel via high-speed rail through Saudi Arabia and Jordan to Israel’s port of Haifa, and then ship to Greece and Italy for distribution across Europe. The corridor also aims to boost trade, digital networks, clean energy exports, and job creation.
Strategically, IMEC leverages improving Arab-Israel ties and strong India-Gulf-Europe trade relations, with EU-India trade surpassing $137 billion in 2023-24. However, progress has stalled due to the Israel-Gaza conflict, worsening Jordan-Israel relations, and Saudi Arabia’s halted normalisation with Israel. Rising regional tensions, including in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran, have shifted challenges from operational to fundamental.
While the eastern leg — India, UAE, and Saudi Arabia — remains active thanks to strong partnerships, competition between Gulf powers adds complexity. IMEC’s future depends on regional stability and diplomatic breakthroughs, making it, for now, a powerful but unrealised vision.
