Israel-Hamas War: India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) may get disrupted

While the war's immediate implications are limited to Palestine and Israel, the Middle East as a whole may soon be affected.

Read more: How will the Israeli-Hamas conflict affect the Indian economy?

According to the GTRI analysis, the Israel-Hamas battle might also disrupt the likelihood of a historic peace pact between Israel and Saudi Arabia, a critical keystone in the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) architecture.

Although Saudi Arabia and Israel have long had no official diplomatic links, recent years have seen signs of opposition, with negotiations for normalization underway, according to GTRI Co-Founder Ajay Srivastava.

The continuing fighting between Israel and Hamas may disrupt project timetables and outcomes, marking a critical crossroads in the construction of this ambitious economic corridor. While the war's immediate effect remains regional, the geopolitical implications extend well beyond, potentially affecting the proposed corridor, he added.

What exactly is the Economic Corridor India-Middle East-Europe?

India, the Middle East, and Europe there will be two distinct corridors that make up the Economic Corridor: the East Corridor, which connects India to West Asia/Middle East, and the Northern Corridor, which connects West Asia/Middle East to Europe.

In addition to the current multi-modal transport routes, it will include a rail line that, once completed, will offer a dependable and affordable cross-border ship-to-rail transit network, improving transshipment of products and services among South East Asia via India to West Asia/Middle East and Europe.

The project's primary objective is to strengthen the connections between Europe and Asia in terms of communication and transportation, and it is frequently seen as China's reaction to its Belt and Road Initiative.

The Middle East is a crucial link in this corridor, and the disruption there could cause delays and issues in the project's execution, according to the GRTI assessment.

In order to create the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, India, the US, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, and the European Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last month during the G20 Summit.

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