What is India-Middle East-Europe Mega Economic Corridor?

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New Delhi

The India-Middle East-Europe Mega Corridor is a significant transportation and economic corridor that connects India, the Middle East, and Europe. At the G-20 meeting in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Mega Economic Corridor, involving India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, France, Italy, Germany, and America.

US President Joe Biden praised the deal as a significant one that will provide significant benefits to developed countries in the coming decade. The project is part of the Partnership for Rail and Shipping Corridors Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII), which aims to strengthen infrastructure in developing countries. The PGII project is seen as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The corridor will connect Europe, the Middle East, and Asia through railways and sea, with key objectives including connecting commercial hubs, supporting clean energy development and export, and expanding undersea cables, energy grids, and telecommunication lines. It will also promote food security and the supply chain between developing countries. The project will include an east-west corridor connecting India to the Arabian Gulf and a north-west corridor connecting the Arabian Gulf to Europe.

The project will feature a railway network that complements existing sea and road routes, as well as plans for electric cables and clean hydrogen pipelines, passing mainly through the Middle East. The project aims to enable greater trade between the countries involved, including in energy products.