New Delhi, Sep 10: Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday made a special mention of the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), saying it redeems post-partition India’s quest for an extended and deeper connectivity in the region.
The IMEC will address obstacles created by Pakistan’s denial of over-land access and China’s reported connectivity designs in the region, Dr Singh said while briefing the media about the outcomes of the just concluded G20 India Summit and the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.
Personally, it instantly took me to the ‘Kabuliwala’ days of pre-partition India, the Union Science & Technology minister said, striking a sentimental chord.
The signing of the MoU on IMEC was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after co-chairing a special event with the US President Joe Biden on Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) and IMEC, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi yesterday.
The IMEC comprises an Eastern Corridor connecting India to the Gulf region and a Northern Corridor connecting the Gulf region to Europe. It will include a railway and ship-rail transit network and road transport routes. The MOU on IMEC was signed by India, USA, Saudi Arabia, UAE, European Union, Italy, France and Germany.
Quoting PM Modi, Dr Jitendra said better connectivity not only results in increased trade, but it also serves as a source of growing trust. The IMEC will help overcome the obstacles created by Pakistan and China’s own designs, he said.
“So, India has found a way out whereby it would not only connect for reasons of economics but also connect for the reasons of greater cohesiveness among the world community,” he said.
Dr Singh said the G20 Delhi Declaration dealt with contentious issues like Ukraine “without being evasive and in a very justifiable way”. “The Declaration admits that the G20 mandate is to act as a forum for economic cooperation, but at the same time, since the aftermath of the war results in economic distress, “we note with deep concern the immense human suffering and adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world,” he said.
Hailing the admission of the African Union into the G20, the minister said the New Delhi Summit amply demonstrates that the world today is ready to be led by India under Prime Minister Modi who has gone down in history for converting G20 into G21.
“India’s Presidency of the G20 was inclusive, rich in content and enormous in scale,” he said, adding, “G20 was spread over 60 cities and more than 220 meetings were held.”
