Resolving Palestine Issue Key To Progress On India-Europe Transit Corridor, Says Egypt

Last Updated:October 17, 2025, 19:42 IST

Speaking during a visit to New Delhi, Abdelatty said that peace and stability in the region were crucial for large-scale infrastructure projects like the IMEC to succeed

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. (AP file photo)

Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Friday said that resolving the Palestinian issue is essential for moving forward with the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a US-backed project aimed at boosting trade and transport links between India and Europe.

Speaking during a visit to New Delhi, Abdelatty said that peace and stability in the region were crucial for large-scale infrastructure projects like the IMEC to succeed.

“We have to bear in mind that connectivity is very important as part of a final settlement of the Palestinian cause," he told the media after meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The IMEC was announced in September 2023 at the G20 summit as a counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The proposed corridor would connect India to Europe via the Middle East, passing through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel. India and the UAE signed an initial framework agreement last year, Reuters reported.

However, just a month after the announcement, the conflict in Gaza erupted following Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, throwing regional stability into question.

“The IMEC is an important project but we have to understand that what happened over the last two years is that if you have escalation, that could hinder the cooperation, the connectivity," Abdelatty said.

He added that Egypt is open to joining the corridor and has already discussed the matter with Indian officials. Egypt’s strategic location and control of the Suez Canal make it a key player in regional logistics and shipping.

Abdelatty also highlighted the heavy economic cost Egypt is facing due to Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The attacks, claimed as acts of solidarity with Palestinians, have led to a sharp drop in traffic through the Suez Canal.

“We are paying a heavy price," he said. “We used to have, every day, at least 75 ships crossing the Suez Canal both ways. Now, 25 maximum 50, so it dropped by at least 60%."

During his two-day visit, Abdelatty also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to boost Indian investments in Egypt. He invited Indian companies to set up in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, which already hosts industrial zones for China and Russia.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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