Israel Pushes to Join India-Europe Trade Corridor to Bypass Red Sea Threats

Israel is seeking to accelerate its integration into the new India-Middle East-Europe trade corridor (IMEC), aiming to position itself as a central logistics hub amid growing regional threats to maritime routes. The Israel Ports Company (IPC) announced plans on Thursday at the Mare Med conference in Tel Aviv to submit a strategic proposal to the government in the coming weeks for establishing inland ports and connecting them to maritime terminals and the railway grid.

The initiative is designed to advance Israel's role in the IMEC project, which creates an alternative trade route between Asia and Europe. The urgency has heightened due to Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, tensions with Iran affecting the Strait of Hormuz, and concerns that rival regional corridors could bypass Israel entirely. Under the proposed plan, goods arriving from the Persian Gulf via Saudi Arabia and Jordan would cross Israel by rail and truck before continuing by ship to Greece and other European destinations.

During the conference, an international professional forum and permanent working groups were established to coordinate efforts and remove regulatory barriers. IPC CEO Pinchas Tsoriya emphasized that IMEC is a historic opportunity, warning that the window of opportunity will not remain open indefinitely. IPC Chairman Hezi Halayva added that the corridor serves as a strategic bridge connecting the Middle East to Europe, bolstering national resilience and creating regional interdependence that alters traditional security equations.