The government is studying the potential collateral benefits our country may gain from the crisis that has erupted in the Middle East following the joint US and Israel attack on Iran and Tehran’s retaliation. These benefits primarily involve further strengthening ties and cooperation with Cyprus, as well as with France, which is the second country sending forces to support the Republic of Cyprus in coordination with Greece. Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Emmanuel Macron had a phone conversation Thursday morning, and they may meet in Paris next Tuesday, March 10, on the sidelines of the second Nuclear Energy Summit. This also involves projecting power in the Eastern Mediterranean, with the presence of the frigate “Kimon,” the first of four ultra-modern Belharra-type (FDI) frigates recently integrated into the Hellenic Navy, and the frigate “Psara,” which carries the “Centaurus” system: an integrated anti-drone system developed through collaboration between the Hellenic Center for Defense Innovation (ELKAK) and EAB, successfully tested during Operation “Aspides” in the Red Sea. In Paphos, four F-16 fighter aircraft of the Hellenic Air Force, upgraded to Viper category, have been stationed since Tuesday.
New IMEC dynamics
However, there is also a third potential benefit that is not visible at the moment but may become clear over time, when the war ends and security is restored, especially in the United Arab Emirates and Israel. This concerns the new dynamics acquired by IMEC, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, in which our country aspires to actively participate. This corridor will essentially connect the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean. In fact, just two days before the American-Israeli attack on Tehran, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an official visit to Jerusalem, met with Benjamin Netanyahu, and discussed, among other things, the implementation of this ambitious—and expensive—plan for a massive trade and economic route connecting East and West.
The outbreak of war and potential future sanctions on Iran create further problems for IMEC’s rival, China’s “One Belt, One Road” project, which has routes through and near Iran. Meanwhile, reports from India note that there are now second thoughts about the scope and depth of Indian investment in the large Iranian port of Chabahar (managed by India Ports Global Limited), located below the Strait of Hormuz, and greater emphasis by Narendra Modi on IMEC. “Greece is the closest continental European country to India. When you talk, for example, about the IMEC project, to which I attach great importance, there are many projects that will benefit both India and Greece in terms of connectivity. Sectors such as shipping, direct foreign investment by Greek companies in India, and Indian companies in Greece,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis had noted in a television interview during his recent visit to New Delhi.
India’s gateway
In his meeting with Narendra Modi, he emphasized to his Indian counterpart that Greece can serve as India’s gateway to Europe due to its geographical position and infrastructure, while underlining our country’s desire to participate in the IMEC Economic Corridor. This specific project and Greece’s participation in it reportedly was also discussed between Giorgos Gerapetritis and Marco Rubio during their meeting in Washington. In the existing plan, IMEC’s northern maritime segment connects Israel’s port of Haifa with major European ports, one of which could be Piraeus. IMEC was announced on September 9, 2023, during the G20 summit in New Delhi. It is a particularly ambitious infrastructure project aimed at connecting India, the Middle East, and Europe through an integrated rail and maritime transport corridor. This corridor will pass through India, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and Europe, and will include a network of railways, ports, and highways, aimed at facilitating the supply chain and free flow of trade along its route. According to the project’s website, IMEC aims to enhance economic cooperation and green development through sustainable infrastructure projects. The idea of constructing a pipeline for transporting green hydrogen has also been put on the table.
Published in Parapolitika newspaper
