Building IMEC: the path towards the implementation of the Indo-Mediterranean Corridor
About a year and a half after the presentation of the project, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is now under development, with the three main segments progressing at distinctly different speeds.
The eastern segment, which aims to strengthen maritime links between India and the Middle East, has made significant progress, driven by the Look West Policy, India’s political-diplomatic strategy under Narendra Modi’s government to consolidate relationships and strategic partnerships with key regional actors, with a particular focus on the Gulf. In addition, substantial investments, either underway or planned, are being made by India to enhance port infrastructure and the broader maritime sector, often in close collaboration with key regional players such as the Emirati company DP World.
By contrast, the central segment of the Corridor, which is intended to connect the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel through rail links, is currently at a standstill, pending a long-term political solution that can bring an end to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and foster investment. Crucial to the success of the project and the peaceful cooperation of the broader region are, notably, the dynamics of the Israel-Palestine-Jordan triangle and the normalization of relations between Tel Aviv and Riyadh. In this context, both the dialogue between Israeli and U.S. leaders at the White House and the upcoming talks between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran in Oman could play a significant role. To facilitate the search for solutions, however, diplomatic efforts should also be supported by all actors involved in the successful realization of the Corridor.
While awaiting developments in the Middle East, the Indo-Mediterranean connection can nevertheless be accelerated through the use of traditional maritime routes. This dynamic would also confirm the non-confrontational nature of the project, which aims to diversify trade routes by enhancing and strengthening global supply chains, making them more resilient in times of turbulence, such as the current ones. In this context, the western segment of IMEC, that is, the Mediterranean – and thus European – component, faces the challenge of implementation. This involves selecting key ports, mapping the public and private stakeholders involved, conducting detailed market analyses, allocating resources and investments, and potentially integrating the Corridor into broader national strategies. Currently, Greece, France, and Italy have direct interests in IMEC, each proposing their respective ports of Athens or Thessaloniki, Marseille, and Trieste as key terminals for the Corridor. In addition, other EU members, particularly Germany, Poland, and countries in Central and Eastern Europe, are closely following the project’s developments. Actors from the Balkan Peninsula and North Africa are also showing significant interest.
From a European perspective, efforts are currently focused on creating a framework that aims to make IMEC a project capable of reshaping, at least in the medium and long term, the economic and trade balance between the European Union and the Indo-Pacific. In particular, the first and perhaps most crucial step is the delicate negotiation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and India, now in its tenth round of talks. The agreement, expected between 2025 and 2026, would strengthen existing trade, with the EU already being India’s primary trading partner, with €124 billion in goods and approximately €60 billion in services in 2023. From this perspective, reducing tariffs, including those on cars as recently requested by Brussels, simplifying access to each other’s markets, and reaching an agreement on the mobility of highly skilled workers could benefit both the EU bloc and New Delhi, as well as support India’s complex efforts to establish a robust manufacturing sector.
In this context, Italy, which has recently appointed Ambassador Francesco Talò as Special Envoy for IMEC, has adopted a strategy focused initially on strengthening relations with India and Gulf partners. At the heart of Italy’s participation in the project lies the consolidation of its economic and commercial partnership with New Delhi, which has been the primary focus of national political and diplomatic efforts for several months. A key milestone in this process will be the upcoming visit to India by Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, leading a delegation of businesses and national economic entities to participate in the India-Italy Business, Science, and Technology Forum.
From Rome’s perspective, the Indo-Mediterranean Corridor presents characteristics that allow it to be integrated into a broader framework, which would facilitate its emergence as a key pillar of a national grand strategy. The candidacy of the port of Trieste as a potential key hub for the Corridor, in fact, opens the path towards the economic heart of the EU, primarily represented by Germany, as well as towards other areas of key interest for the Italian system, such as Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Consequently, the most natural connection for IMEC would be with the Three Seas Initiative, which would draw a line from the Indian Ocean to the Baltic, passing through countries closely aligned with Italy, such as Poland, which signed a strategic partnership with India in the summer of 2024. Furthermore, Italy could align itself, also through the development of an ad hoc plan, with the priorities outlined in the Focus on India document presented by the German federal government in October 2024. Given the high interconnection between the respective economies, Rome could strengthen its role as Germany’s gateway to the Indian Ocean and, thus, to India, at least in the long term. As for the Balkans, India’s decision to open an honorary consulate in Albania may signal a willingness to expand its regional presence — another piece in the broader mosaic of interests potentially fostered by IMEC in areas of strong Italian interest.
In parallel, there is a growing complementarity between IMEC and Italy’s Mattei Plan for Africa. Indeed, the inclusion of countries such as Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania in the Italian Plan directly links the Indo-Mediterranean priorities of the Corridor with those of the Italian government’s cooperation strategy for the African continent. Moreover, several key pillars of Italy’s actions in Africa, such as energy and digital development, significantly overlap with those of IMEC, a project that also includes the laying of submarine cables and infrastructure for clean hydrogen. Indeed, the broader connection between the Mattei Plan and IMEC was confirmed by the EU itself, which reiterated their link to the ambitious infrastructure connectivity initiative known as Global Gateway and, consequently, to the wider European Economic Security Strategy. In this regard, during her recent visit to India, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen connected the goals of both Global Gateway and IMEC, whose rail connections are part of plans to diversify and accelerate trade routes, specifically between India and Europe. Meanwhile, the European Parliament, by approving an amendment on macro-financial assistance to the Arab Republic of Egypt, acknowledged the strategic importance of the Mattei Plan to promote stronger ties across the Mediterranean. Additionally, Italy could align its strategic vision for Africa with that of India. The country led by Narendra Modi, indeed, has recently accelerated its diplomatic and political efforts to engage more closely with Africa, a shift that should also be viewed within the broader framework of India’s candidacy to lead the so-called Global South. Within this framework, the Lobito Corridor and Italy’s relationships with numerous African partners could, in the long run, open the doors to the Atlantic as well.
Looking east, the strengthening of relations between Italy and Gulf countries, particularly the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, further solidifies Italy’s position within the IMEC framework, charting a direct path to the ports of India’s western coast. From there, the Corridor ideally continues along India’s Act East Policy and New Delhi’s strategies for the Bay of Bengal, where, despite challenges, efforts to revive BIMSTEC are ongoing. This platform aims to enhance regional connectivity, extending to Southeast Asia and Australia. In fact, dialogues with Australia appear set to resume regarding the definition of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU, another key element in potentially addressing global trade turbulence, and a further step in establishing the broader framework necessary to make IMEC a truly effective project.
This stage, therefore, is pivotal for the tangible development of IMEC and for unlocking the full potential of the project. To achieve this, integrating IMEC into a broader strategic framework will undoubtedly benefit the countries involved, including Italy.