The India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC), launched at the 2023 G20 Summit, is a transformative trade and connectivity initiative endorsed by key global and regional powers, including the EU, Germany, France, India, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, with the involvement of Israel, Jordan, Greece, Cyprus and additional countries. It envisions a rail-based overland route linking the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to Israel, supported by infrastructure for digital connectivity, clean energy, and logistics.
Despite its potential, IMEC has yet to undergo thorough analysis and planning. A new joint report by the Misgav Institute and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Israel addresses this gap, offering in-depth insights into IMEC’s economic impact, strategic value, and implementation challenges.
The report finds that IMEC could cut transit time between India and Europe by over 50%, while boosting regional trade, job creation, infrastructure investment, and technological innovation. It also offers strategic benefits, helping Western nations diversify supply chains away from routes controlled by China, Russia, and Iran.
IMEC also brings country-specific advantages – deepening regional ties for Israel, advancing Germany’s hydrogen and trade goals, and strengthening EU-India cooperation.
To move forward, the report proposes 15 actionable recommendations, including convening a 2025 IMEC Leaders Forum, establishing a permanent Secretariat, involving countries like Israel and Greece as full partners, and aligning the initiative with the G7’s PGII and the EU’s Global Gateway. The roadmap emphasizes regulatory harmonization, infrastructure investment, digital and energy connectivity, and robust cross-border cooperation – especially enabling Israeli trade transit through GCC states.
Given IMEC’s enormous promise for fostering deeper regional integration, sustainable economic growth, and enhanced geopolitical resilience, the Misgav Institute and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Israel are pleased to present this joint report, in service of our shared aim to advance regional cooperation, peace and prosperity.
