Foreign Minister Jaishankar calls the West Asia crisis a "unexpected problem" and that there is "enormous interest in IMEC."

 Foreign Minister Jaishankar calls the West Asia crisis a "unexpected problem" and that there is "enormous interest in IMEC."

In an interview with Hindustan Times Editor-in-Chief R Sukumar here in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that during his recent trip to Italy and Portugal, there was a great deal of interest in the India-Middle East-Economic Corridor (IMEC).

At the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, which was Jaishankar said, "Europeans understand today the need to have a smoother, quicker and more seamless passage to India."

The minister said that IMEC was significant because of the importance of Europe as a center of the world economy, India's expanding economic might, and Arabia's longstanding function as a route for international commerce.

The Gulf area is connected to Europe via the Northern Corridor and India to the Gulf region through the Eastern Corridor of the IMEC. In addition to road transport routes, it will include a railway and ship-rail transit network," a news statement announcing the establishment of IMEC on the eve of the G20 Summit in New Delhi said.

India, America, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the European Union, Italy, France, and Germany all signed the Memorandum of Understanding on IMEC.

However, worries that connection programs like IMECC may be adversely damaged have arisen due to the emerging situation in West Asia after the October 7 Hamas terror strikes against Israel. Israel has reportedly had a significant role in the IMEC deal's negotiations in the background.

Jaishankar said that the situation was a "serious unexpected problem," but he also said that India was not thinking of rethinking the project.

Unexpected issues may occur and we are now experiencing one of a critical kind. However, I don't believe you should start evaluating and changing that right away if you have a bigger aim and a bigger strategy just because something occurred, Jaishankar said.

"I believe you complete the task and maintain your overall strategy. Alongside that, you react to everything else that occurs in the world," he said.