Let’s proceed with IMEC despite Gaza war, Greek PM tells India
- India and Greece should persevere with the “peace project”, said the Greek Prime Minister in New Delhi.
Key Highlights
- Greek prime minister said that Despite the Israeli war in Gaza “destabilising” plans for the India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC)
- “The war in Gaza and turmoil in the Middle East is undoubtedly destabilising but it does not undermine the powerful logic behind IMEC.
- “Launched during India’s G-20 chairmanship, the IMEC corridor will contribute significantly to the development of humanity in the long run.
- the founding members of the initiative, including India, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Mauritius, the UAE and Saudi Arabia,
- Have been unable to meet, as stipulated by the MoU for the past six months due to the conflict in Gaza.
- Israel’s Haifa port, owned by India’s Adani Group, was expected to be a key trading point for the ship-and-rail route proposed under IMEC from India’s west coast,
- Through the UAE and Saudi Arabia to Jordan and Israel, before reaching Greece’s Piraeus Port and on to the rest of Europe.
IMEC Corridor
- The proposed IMEC will consist of Railroad, Ship-to-Rail networks and Road transport routes extending across two corridors, that is,
- The East Corridor – connecting India to the Arabian Gulf,
- The Northern Corridor – connecting the Gulf to Europe.
- The IMEC corridor will also include an electricity cable, a hydrogen pipeline and a high-speed data cable.
- India, the US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the European Union, Italy, France, and Germany are signatories.
Ports to be Connected
- India: Mundra (Gujarat), Kandla (Gujarat), and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (Navi Mumbai).
- Middle East: Fujairah, Jebel Ali, and Abu Dhabi in the UAE as well as Dammam and Ras Al Khair ports in Saudi Arabia.
- Railway line will connect Fujairah port (UAE) to Haifa port (Israel) via: Saudi Arabia (Ghuwaifat and Haradh) and Jordan.
- Israel: Haifa port.
- Europe: Piraeus port in Greece, Messina in South Italy, and Marseille in France.
Prelims Takeaway
- IMEC Corridor
- Haifa port.