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India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) – UPSC Notes

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a multinational economic corridor project connecting India to Europe through the Middle East
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India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) – UPSC Notes

IMEC

1. What is IMEC?

  • The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a major multinational economic corridor project connecting India to Europe through the Middle East.

  • It is designed to boost trade, energy flow, and digital connectivity between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

  • Proposed as a modern, efficient, and sustainable alternative to traditional sea and land routes.

2. Announcement

  • Launched at the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9, 2023.

  • A joint initiative led by:

    • India

    • USA

    • European Union (EU)

    • Saudi Arabia

    • United Arab Emirates (UAE)

    • France

    • Germany

    • Italy

3. Route of IMEC

It has two main parts:

  • East Corridor: Connects India to West Asia/Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel).

  • Northern Corridor: Connects the Middle East to Europe (via Greece and onwards into Europe).

Mode of transport:

  • Railways

  • Ports

  • Highways

  • Energy pipelines

  • Optical fiber cables

4. Objective of IMEC

  • Enhance economic integration.

  • Improve trade efficiency by reducing time and cost.

  • Strengthen energy security by establishing reliable pipelines.

  • Expand digital connectivity through fiber optics.

  • Counter China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by offering an alternative.

5. Importance of IMEC

For India For the World
Strengthens India's connectivity to Europe. Offers a trusted global supply chain.
Opens new trade routes beyond Suez Canal bottlenecks. Supports sustainable infrastructure.
Boosts India's export potential. Counters China's BRI influence.
Deepens strategic ties with Middle East and Europe. Integrates the Global South with Europe.

6. Recent Developments (2024-25 Updates)

  • March 2024: First technical meeting on IMEC held between India, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and EU to finalize project details.

  • April 2024: Discussions on Green Energy Corridor within IMEC (for transport of hydrogen, solar energy) started.

  • January 2025: IMEC included in the EU’s Global Gateway Initiative for additional funding.

  • February 2025: UAE announced an investment of $5 billion to upgrade ports and railway lines under IMEC.

7. Challenges

  • Political Instability in the Middle East (e.g., Israel-Palestine conflict).

  • Funding requirements – Large investments needed.

  • Coordination between many countries with different interests.

  • Competition from existing trade routes like the Suez Canal.

8. Significance for UPSC

  • Part of International Relations (GS Paper 2).

  • Related to Infrastructure and Economic Growth (GS Paper 3).

  • Important for Prelims under International Initiatives, Trade Corridors, and Global Alliances.

  • Also reflects India’s Strategic Autonomy and Multi-alignment policy.

9. IMEC vs Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

IMEC BRI
Led by democratic countries. Led by China.
Transparent, focuses on sustainability. Criticized for debt-trap diplomacy.
Encourages inclusive participation. Seen as China-centric.
Promotes Green Energy, digital economy. Focused mainly on physical infrastructure.

Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. IMEC, recently seen in news, connects which three regions?

a) India, Central Asia, Europe
b) India, Middle East, Europe
c) India, Africa, Europe
d) India, East Asia, Europe

Answer: b) India, Middle East, Europe

Q2. Which of the following countries are part of the IMEC initiative?

  1. India

  2. China

  3. Saudi Arabia

  4. Germany

  5. Russia

a) 1, 2 and 3
b) 1, 3 and 4
c) 1, 4 and 5
d) 2, 3 and 5

Answer: b) 1, 3 and 4

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding IMEC:

  1. It was announced at the G7 Summit in Italy.

  2. It aims to counter China's Belt and Road Initiative.

  3. It plans to establish energy pipelines and digital connectivity along with transport.

Which of the statements is/are correct?

a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 2 only
d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: b) 2 and 3 only

Quick Revision Mnemonic

"I MEET Europe"

  • I – India

  • M – Middle East

  • E – Europe

  • T – Trade, Transport, Telecom (connectivity goals)

Would you also like a small map diagram showing the IMEC route for your notes? 📜
I can create it if you want! 🚄

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