Saudi Arabia mulls rerouting IMEC via Syria to sidestep Israel following normalisation collapse

Saudi Arabia is exploring a major structural shift to the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), actively examining a new land route through Syria to completely bypass Israel, as per reports in the region. Unveiled at the 2023 G20 Summit, the ambitious trade network was originally designed to link India to Europe via rail and ports running through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel’s Port of Haifa. However, the prolonged war in Gaza, escalating regional volatility and the total collapse of momentum toward a US-backed Israeli-Saudi normalisation deal have forced Riyadh to pivot. Sources indicate that Saudi officials are evaluating a land bridge through Syria to reach the Mediterranean coast. While this alternative sidesteps unstable maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb, it represents a massive strategic and economic blow to Israel, which had envisioned IMEC as the cornerstone of its integration into the regional economy, as per a report.

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