Biden and Modi to announce rail and shipping project to link India to Middle East and Europe

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden are expected to unveil an ambitious proposal later today at the G20 summit in Delhi that would establish a shipping and rail corridor linking India to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and onwards to Europe and the US.

The major announcement will be made later Saturday at the G20 summit in Delhi, sources said. Jon Finer, US Deputy National Security Advisor told the media that the MoU will be signed between the two countries to explore a shipping and rail transportation corridor to boost commerce from here India and across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Europe to the US.

“It is not just the Railway project, it is shipping and Railway project and it is important for people to understand how expansive, ambitious and ground-breaking this will be,” Finer revealed. The corridor would boost economic prosperity among the participating countries by enhancing the transportation of energy resources and digital communications. It also aims to tackle the infrastructure deficit that hampers growth in lower- and middle-income nations. The project could also improve overall regional security.

"We see this as having a high appeal to the countries involved, and also globally, because it is transparent, because it is a high standard, because it is not coercive," Finer added.

According to some observers, the move is also a response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to bring China closer to other countries.

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