As the Israel-Palestine conflict persists, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced in the backdrop of the G20 summit held in Delhi in September, 2023, remains a non-starter. The resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict is nowhere in sight. As opposed to delaying the implementation of IMEC until the crisis is resolved, the participating nations could look at additional routes that would connect India to Europe bypassing Israel. One such route can connect India to Europe via Oman, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, while the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries can be connected to the corridor via branch routes.
Tag: Gulf
Assessing the Prospects of India-Saudi Arabia Defence Cooperation
India and Saudi Arabia conducted their maiden military exercise ‘Sada Tanseeq’ from 29 January 2024 to 9 February 2024. The 12-day exercise has proven to be an indicator of a growing defence relationship between both nations. Saudi crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman paid a state visit to India during the 2023 G-20 summit hosted by India. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia in 2019, the two countries signed a landmark memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation which entailed joint military exercises between the two countries.