Trump Backs India-Middle East-Europe Corridor To Bypass Iran Energy Chokepoints

US President Donald Trump has expressed strong support for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), saying the initiative could help move critical energy infrastructure away from Iranian-controlled chokepoints.

Addressing a multilateral meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Trump said attacks on commercial shipping linked to Iran had highlighted the need for alternative energy routes in the region.

Trump said his administration “strongly supports” the India-Middle East Economic Corridor, as well as other options such as pipelines, to facilitate the movement of oil. He said the region was close to overcoming challenges that had persisted for years.

The IMEC was unveiled during the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023. India, the US, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union signed an agreement outlining plans for rail, shipping, energy and digital connectivity.

The proposed corridor consists of an eastern route linking India with the Gulf and a northern route connecting the Gulf to Europe. It envisages railway links, ports, energy cables, digital connectivity infrastructure and pipelines for clean hydrogen.

The project is aimed at boosting trade and connectivity across South Asia, the Middle East and Europe and is viewed as a strategic alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Renewed attention has been drawn to IMEC amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and wider regional tensions. However, political instability linked to the Iran and Gaza conflicts and coordination challenges have slowed progress.

Trump also repeated his warning to Iran, saying the US had isolated Tehran financially and threatening that it could eventually be “too late” for Iran to survive as a nation.