India’s push for transnational transport corridor

Published: 5th Apr, 2024

Context

From East to West, India is spearheading major transnational transport corridors that will eventually link the Atlantic to the Pacific via Asia.

1: Dimension- India’s push for transnational transport corridor

India is making big push mainly for the following corridor:

India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC): IMEC aims to connect India to Europe via the Arabian Peninsula through rail and sea links
International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC): INSTC spans 7,200 kilometres, encompassing ship, rail, and road routes connecting India through Iran and Central Asia to Russia.
India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway: It will connect the Indian city of Moreh in Manipur to Thailand's Mae Sot via Myanmar.
Chennai-Vladivostok routeto the East: The corridor holds promise for India’s connectivity with the Russian Far East.

2: Dimension- Need at global level:

Filling up infrastructure gap: The G7 recognised this infrastructure gap in 2021 when it announced the Build Back Better World (B3W). The B3W aimed tobridge the USD 40 trillion infrastructure gap in the developing world and offer an alternative to the BRI.
Alternate routes: Whether Houthi attacks in the Red Sea or the 2021 Suez Canal blockage that halted global shipping for six days, countries have been exploring safe and alternate routes for goods transit.
Need of investment: The world is at a place now where investments are more critical than ever.

3: Dimension- Significance of these transport corridors for India

Strategic alliance: These transport corridors as necessary to meet its fast-paced economic growth and as a tool to nurture strategic alliances.
Land-based connectivity: There is a need for lateral “land-based” connectivity in the Indian Ocean, thus need of India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) trilateral highway arises.

UPSC PYQ

What is the significance of Industrial Corridors in India? Identifying industrial corridors, explain their main characteristics. (UPSC 2018)

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