IMEC CORRIDOR: NEW LOGISTICS ROUTE BETWEEN INDIA AND EUROPE

Announced during the New Delhi G20 summit in September 2023, the IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor) project aims to connect India to Europe via the Middle East through a network combining port, rail, energy, and digital infrastructures. Supported by India, the European Union, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, this corridor is presented as an alternative to the “New Silk Roads”. Since early 2026, several bilateral agreements and diplomatic discussions bear witness to a willingness to move the project forward despite an unstable regional context.

STRENGTHENED COOPERATION IN 2026

Early 2026 was marked by an acceleration of cooperation around the IMEC. India and Italy recently reaffirmed their commitment to developing the corridor in order to strengthen the resilience of supply chains and commercial trade. At the same time, France and India signed a port partnership between Marseille-Fos and the Indian ports of Mundra and Hazira. These initiatives are part of a broader dynamic of economic rapprochement between the European Union and India, reinforced by the conclusion of the EU-India free trade negotiations in January 2026.

A PROJECT DISRUPTED BY REGIONAL TENSIONS

The outbreak of war in the Middle East has complicated the operational implementation of the corridor. Following the disruptions caused by the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023, tensions around Iran and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz are reshaping certain lines of the project. As the security of countries in the Gulf zone and their port infrastructures is weakened, stakeholders must consider alternative routes, notably Oman, which has ports open to the Indian Ocean. Greece, Egypt, or even Lebanon could also position themselves within this new regional logistics architecture.

IMEC remains an important project aimed at securing trade between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. As a major player in international import and export logistics, notably via flagship destinations such as IPBC (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh Continent), our teams keep themselves informed of any evolution in the situation and offer you solutions adapted to your needs.

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