Iran-Israel Tensions: India’s IMEC, I2U2 Initiatives Could Bear Impact, Says Ex-Envoy to Israel

In an interview to ABP LIVE, veteran diplomat Arun K. Singh, former Indian envoy to the US and Israel, said India has to safeguard its interests as tensions escalate between Iran and Israel.

By : Nayanima Basu | Updated at : 14 Apr 2024 07:47 PM (IST)

Iran launched missiles and drones towards Israel on Sunday and described its operation as successful. ( Image Source :X )

New Delhi: The growing tensions between Iran and Israel – both partners of India – may impact New Delhi as well as some of its initiatives, particularly the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, or IMEC, which was announced during the G20 Summit last year under India’s presidency, with the objective of connecting India to the Gulf and then to Europe.

Veteran diplomat Arun K. Singh, former Indian Ambassador to the US and Israel, observed as much in an interview with ABP Live. He added that, with the escalation in the Israel-Hamas war – that has now involved Iran too, along with its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon – New Delhi may face hurdles even in the India-Israel-UAE-US (I2U2) construct.  

The Indian leadership, he said, has to “step forward”, albeit keeping in mind the limit of its influence in the West Asian region.

“Certainly, some of the initiatives could be impacted. Certainly, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which first involves Saudi Arabia, then UAE, onto Jordan, Israel and then to Europe (could get impacted),” he added. 

“That was pegged very much on what was expected to be a process of normalisation between Saudi Arabia and Israel… Saudi Arabia was expecting some movement on the Palestine issue and also some security guarantees from the US, and defence and civil nuclear relation technology partnership with the US. So, that process certainly for now has been disrupted. That’s not going to happen.” 

The IMEC corridor aims at the integration of Asia, Europe and the Middle East involving multiple stakeholders and is at an incipient stage currently.

Singh, who is now a Non-resident Senior Fellow at Carnegie, said if as a “way out” from the Israel-Hamas war is the two-state solution and the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Israel happens as a part of that then IMEC could be revived again.

Singh, who is now a Non-resident Senior Fellow at Carnegie, said if, as a “way out” from the Israel-Hamas war, the two-state solution is agreed upon, and the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Israel happens as a part of that, then IMEC could be revived again.

“I2U2 was again pegged very much by the deepening of cooperation between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel after the Abraham Accords of 2020… Now, if the situation gets complicated on the Israel-Palestine front, we have to see how the UAE assesses the reaction of the Arab countries,” he added. 

“At the moment, there is no slowing down of I2U2 but what happens further will certainly be a question mark.” 

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‘India’s Vital Interests Are Involved’

According to Singh, India’s vital interests in terms of energy security and trade are likely to face an adverse impact as a result of the soaring tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv.

“India will have to signal that its interests are involved and it is deeply concerned with what is going on. I can anticipate that there will be conversations certainly that the Indian leadership will have with their counterparts in Iran, Israel, Gulf countries, US and others,” Singh said.

India on Sunday called for “immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy” as Iran attacked Israel with missiles and drones in retaliation to the 1 April attack on its diplomatic mission in Damascus, Syria, by suspected Israeli airstrikes.

“We have to, of course, understand the limit of our influence (in West Asia) because ultimately every country will operate on the basis of how they perceive their interest,” he said, adding that India should “step forward” and see how it can contribute in de-escalating the tensions.

A day before the attack, Iran seized a ship off UAE coast that had 17 Indian sailors. India has raised the issue with Iran for their early release.

Published at : 14 Apr 2024 06:08 PM (IST)
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