Alternative to choke points, IMEC strategic necessity for India in changing world order—MEA

The Print

a day ago

'Historical choke points like Gibraltar, the Malacca Strait, Panama Canal, and the Red Sea have shown us that disruption is inevitable when access is concentrated [at specific points],' he said, adding that the IMEC offered a necessary alternative in an increasingly uncertain global landscape.
Speaking at the Chintan Research Foundation-hosted IMEC conference in New Delhi on Wednesday, Ravi highlighted how global crises, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, had exposed critical vulnerabilities in existing supply chains.
New Delhi: The government sees the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) as a strategic imperative for its future economic and geopolitical ambitions, said Dammu Ravi, Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
'IMEC is the starting point for India. On the western front, it starts from India, [then] UAE, Saudi, Jordan, Israel, Greece [France and Italy]—there are seven important countries here,' he said. 'On the eastern front is the trilateral island, so you have India, Myanmar, Thailand, and connecting to ASEAN. These are very important. Actually, from a strategic point of view, IMEC is very critical for India.'
Strategic necessity in a changing world
India's economic aspirations, a projected $30 trillion GDP by 2047, require robust external connectivity, said Ravi.
The economic secretary also argued that corridors such as IMEC, as well as the Trilateral Highway, would be vital to support India's industrial ambitions.
'We are at just three percent of global manufacturing compared to China's 30 percent. As we scale up, these corridors will become essential platforms for trade and supply chains,' he added.
Also Read: IMEC a 'channel of peace' says Greek minister, plays up growing ties with 'inviolable partner' India
India's digital & infrastructure advantage
Ravi laid his emphasis on India's competitive edge in building low-cost infrastructure, including ports, highways, railways, and airports, alongside its pioneering Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
'Digitally connecting IMEC is a first-mover opportunity for India,' he said. 'These are low-cost, scaleable solutions we can lead.'
He argued that IMEC would not be just a trade route but a multimodal economic corridor, integrating energy grids, digital systems, and transport infrastructure.
'It is a chance to bring in investment and boost manufacturing along the corridor and expand markets into the hinterland.'
While countries such as China have advanced the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through centralised control and $1 trillion investment in deep funds, democracies must navigate a slower, consensus-driven process, Ravi said, noting under-development models like EU's Global Gateway Forum and the US-led Global Partnership for Infrastructure Investment.
'Democracies debate, deliberate, and move slower, but collaboration is our strength,' Ravi said, calling for a multilateral approach to IMEC.
He floated the idea of an IMEC Fund to support execution over time and proposed the creation of an IMEC Secretariat to ensure coordination, timelines, and project continuity.
Geopolitical hurdles & role of diplomacy
Ravi acknowledged the geopolitical headwind facing the project—from sanctioned Russia and Iran to politically unstable Myanmar. 'These are challenges we must engage with diplomatically. Every participating country's foreign office needs to be actively involved,' he said.
He also warned against internal economic resistance, urging Indian industries to see the corridor as an opportunity, not a threat.
'We will need to build narratives that reassure domestic players while keeping the long-term benefits in view. Also, you need a Secretariat for the IMEC. You need to have a coordinating mechanism, without which you will not be able to have timelines, and you will not be able to fulfil your objectives with clarity, ' he added.
In conclusion, Ravi positioned IMEC not as a competitor to existing trade routes such as the Suez Canal but as a complementary system.
'Multiple routes mean greater resilience. IMEC is not about replacing but expanding global trade possibilities,' he said, adding that one should not see IMEC 'as a competitor to the Suez Canal; rather, it is a complementary trade route'.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
Also Read: Global trade needs IMEC. Not just India-Europe, it'll boost markets in Middle East too