An interesting discussion took place recently at the French Embassy in Athens on a potential new international trade route, according to an article in Haniotika Nea. The subject was the proposed India–Middle East–Europe Corridor (IMEC), nicknamed the Indian Silk Road, and the participants included the French Ambassador to Greece Laurence Auer, Nikos Vernikos for the Greek branch of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Hellas), and Deputy Assistant Professor at the Technical University of Crete Giorgos Atsalakis.

This initiative, which is supported by India, the Gulf States, the European Union and the USA, aims to create a strategic alternative transport and trade network, offering new possibilities for connection between Asia and Europe.

The geoeconomic corridor
The plan envisages the transport of products arriving from the western shores of India, chiefly from Bombay, to the ports of the United Arab Emirates. From there they will continue by rail through Saudi Arabia and Jordan, arriving at the port of Haifa in Israel. They will then continue by sea from Haifa to the ports of Piraeus, Trieste and Marseilles, opening a gateway to the European hinterland.

In this way the new corridor will allow the transport of Indian products to the heart of Europe within 10 days, saving about a week compared with the classic route through the Suez Canal. This reduction in time will bring significant economies and improved competitiveness.

Greece’s central role
Special emphasis in the discussion was given to the role of Greece. The port of Piraeus will emerge as a basic hub of the IMEC as it already operates as an important transfer centre for products arriving from Asia. With the growth of this corridor, Greece can be transformed into one of the most important entrance points for Asian exports to the European market, reinforcing its position as a bridge between East and West.

Strategic implications
The IMEC is not merely an infrastructure project, but also a geopolitical choice. The alternative route reduces dependence on the Suez Canal, which has many times proved sensitive to political tensions or events such as its blocking by the container ship Ever Given in 2021. In addition it promotes cooperation between India, the Arab states and Europe alongside China’s New Silk Route (the Belt and Road Initiative).

France, as emerged from its comments at the embassy, sees the route as an opportunity to reinforce its own Mediterranean strategy, with Marseilles being able to operate as the Northern European end of the corridor.

Prospects and challenges
Despite its positive prospects, the plan does not lack challenges:
– Political instability in the Middle East could affect the reliability of the network.
– The funding and execution of infrastructure (especially railways) will require major investment.
– Competition with China is expected to accentuate as Peking is unlikely to leave the field of global trade flows unexploited.
However, the general picture shows that the IMEC can work as a catalyst for the reshaping of world trade routes, with Greece acquiring a leading role.

The discussion at the French Embassy demonstrated the importance of the new corridor as an economic and geopolitical investment for the future. Europe, India and the Arab states have a common interest in developing an alternative route which will increase the resilience and diversification of supply chains. For Greece the challenge is to exploit the opportunity so as to establish its position as a point of entry for Asia into Europe.
(Haniotika Nea 25/09/25)

The origins of the IMEC
The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was officially announced on September 9, 2023, during the G20 Summit in New Delhi. On the sidelines of the summit, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Saudi Arabia, India, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, France, Italy, Germany and the European Union. More information can be found at the IMEC website: https://www.imec.international/