Trade corridors
The routes and deals that decide how goods move, and what can be bypassed.
The basics
A trade corridor is a sea, rail or road route, together with the ports, agreements and investment built around it. The ones in the news include the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced at the G20 summit in New Delhi in 2023; the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which links India to Russia through Iran; China's Belt and Road Initiative; and the Arctic Northern Sea Route.
Corridors matter most for the choke points they avoid or depend on, such as Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Strait of Malacca.
Why it matters from India
India is a partner in IMEC and INSTC and competes with Belt and Road projects around its neighbourhood. New routes change what Indian goods cost to move and which countries India depends on.
Latest coverage2
US: IMEC Trade Corridor Stalled by Middle East Instability, But Groundwork Continues
Trump Backs India-Middle East-Europe Corridor as Regional Energy Security Tool
US: IMEC Trade Corridor Stalled by Middle East Instability, But Groundwork Continues
MoveThis is a Trump administration play in two moves.
Trump Backs India-Middle East-Europe Corridor as Regional Energy Security Tool
MoveTrump is betting that linking IMEC to energy security—not just trade—creates urgency for Gulf partners to fund and coor…