Indian premier calls for implementation of India-Middle East-Europe Corridor

By Ahmad Adil

NEW DELHI (AA) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed the significance of implementing the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEEC) for "regional connectivity" during a meeting with visiting UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, according to an official statement.

IMEEC -- a multinational railway and maritime project between India, the US, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Israel, France, Germany, Italy, and the EU, aims to connect India to the Middle East and Europe to enhance trade, provide energy resources, and develop digital connectivity.

The UAE’s Nahyan met with Narendra in the capital New Delhi on Thursday and the two leaders emphasized strengthening comprehensive strategic partnership, including in the areas of technology, energy, and people-to-people ties, the Indian Foreign Ministry said.

Modi laid "special emphasis on the implementation of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor as a historic initiative to foster regional connectivity and prosperity,” the ministry said in a late Thursday night statement.

The IMEEC was announced last year.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, along with his UAE counterpart, co-chaired the fourth India-UAE strategic dialogue in New Delhi.

“A very productive exchange on promising domains and key interests,” he said on Friday.