Imec's Grand Vision Stalls: Geopolitical Storms, Gaza Conflict Cloud Future

• The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (Imec) remains a "statement of intent" nearly two years after its 2023 unveiling, facing significant geopolitical hurdles.
• Conceived as a strategic alternative to China's BRI, Imec aims to link South Asia to Europe, reducing transit times and costs, and integrating India deeper into global value chains.
• The Gaza conflict has fundamentally altered regional calculations, making the crucial Saudi-Israeli normalization, vital for Imec's land-based connectivity, increasingly fragile.
• Despite diplomatic activity, Imec lacks binding contracts, credible timelines, or detailed financial architecture, with progress stalled beyond the discussion stage.
• While challenges are severe, writing off Imec is premature; core participants remain committed, and India views it as a long-term strategic hedge, with groundwork slowly progressing.

Why It Matters: Imec's ambitious vision is hampered by fragile geopolitics and the Gaza conflict, requiring stability and commitment.