Gaza war over, focus back on Imec: Israel’s foreign minister in Delhi for talks with Jaishankar

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar will meet Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday. This is Sa’ar’s first visit to India as the foreign minister. He arrived in New Delhi on Monday for his three-day visit.

The Israeli minister’s India visit comes ahead of a possible trip by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December. Sa’ar’s visit also coincides with the implementation of the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire that has facilitated the release of several hostages, both alive and dead, and Palestinian prisoners.

The Imeec corridor

Delhi is seeking to advance connectivity initiatives linking India, the Middle East, and Europe, which would pass through Israel, following the restoration of peace and stability in the region.

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The India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor (Imec), initially proposed in September 2023 at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Delhi, faced setbacks after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and left around 250 hostages. Following two years of conflict in Gaza, during which more than 68,000 Palestinians were killed, both sides have now agreed to a peace plan, paving the way for renewed progress on the corridor.

Imec’s goal is to strengthen maritime connectivity between India and the Arabian Peninsula, as well as develop high-speed trains running from the ports in the UAE to the Haifa port in Israel through Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

The corridor would facilitate the movement of goods to and from European countries. In addition, the IMEC aims to develop a clean hydrogen pipeline, an electricity link, a high-speed undersea digital cable, and to integrate existing infrastructure, including ports.

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Gaza peace plan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan and said it was a step towards reaching long-term peace and security for not just Israelis and Palestinians but the region at large.

“We welcome President Donald J. Trump’s announcement of a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict. It provides a viable pathway to long-term and sustainable peace, security and development for the Palestinian and Israeli people, as also for the larger West Asian region,” said Modi in a post on X.