Oman, Egypt and Mediterranean nations seek entry into IMEC as trade route volatility rises

Growing Red Sea shipping disruptions and West Asian geopolitical volatility have accelerated work on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), drawing expansion interest from non-signatory nations including Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, Greece and Cyprus, according to Mr Gerard Mestrallet, French President’s Special Envoy for IMEC. Speaking at the inaugural IMEC Ports Club workshop in New Delhi—co-organised by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) and France’s Marseille Fos Port—Mr Mestrallet detailed a time-bound roadmap through 2027-28 focused on four pilot projects covering supply chain integration, trade facilitation, digital interoperability and green energy corridors. By adding strategic maritime nodes such as Duqm, Alexandria, Port Said, Beirut and Mediterranean ports, along with India’s upcoming Vadhvan mega port in Maharashtra, the expanded network aims to build operational redundancy and alternative routes against chokepoint blockages, technical outages and regional crises, said a report.

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