Trump Backs IMEEC: Can This India-Europe Trade Route Reduce Hormuz Risk?

With the Strait of Hormuz under pressure amid the West Asia conflict, global shipping, energy markets and supply chains are facing fresh risks. Against this backdrop, US President Donald Trump has backed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, or IMEEC, arguing that the region’s energy infrastructure needs to move away from routes vulnerable to Iranian pressure. First unveiled at the G20 Summit in New Delhi in 2023, IMEEC is designed to connect India with the Arabian Gulf and Europe through a combination of maritime routes, ports, rail networks, energy infrastructure and digital connectivity. But can this proposed corridor actually offer an alternative pathway if Hormuz remains vulnerable? This package explains what IMEEC is, why Trump is backing it, and why the current West Asia crisis has brought the ambitious trade corridor back into focus.