Trump voices strong support for India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor
US President Donald Trump has said his administration strongly supports the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC), citing the need to move Middle East energy infrastructure away from Iranian checkpoints amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Trump made the remarks while addressing a multilateral meeting with leaders and senior officials from Gulf Cooperation Council and Arab countries on Tuesday on the sidelines of the high-level UN General Assembly session.
"Iran's terrorist attacks on commercial shipping in neighbouring countries have shown the need to shift Middle East energy infrastructure away from the Iranian checkpoints," Trump said.
"That's why my administration strongly supports the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and other places... the form of getting oil out, whether it's pipelines or anything else, and together we're on the verge of overcoming challenges that have plagued this region for decades," he said.
Trump's comments come amid heightened tensions involving Iran and disruptions to commercial shipping and energy routes in the region.
The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) is a multinational connectivity and infrastructure initiative unveiled during the G20 Leaders' Summit in New Delhi in September 2023. It envisages an eastern corridor connecting India with the Gulf region and a northern corridor linking the Gulf with Europe, including rail and ship-to-rail connectivity.
