Scottish historian William Dalrymple has hailed the recent revelation of the Indian-Middle Eastern Economic Corridor during the G20 Summit, asserting that it will cast a global spotlight on the legendary Red Sea trade route, a subject he extensively explores in his latest book titled “The Golden Road.”
In a tweet shared on X (formerly Twitter), Dalrymple remarked, “With the announcement today of the opening of an Indian-Middle Eastern Economic Corridor at G20, it looks the ancient trade routes up the Red Sea from India to Egypt that I am writing about in my new book, The Golden Road, and previewed here in @nybooks, will again become a global focus of economic and cultural exchange.”
Dalrymple’s book, “The Golden Road,” delves into the historical significance of the Red Sea trade route that once linked India to Egypt, a topic that is now capturing the world’s attention due to the groundbreaking initiative announced at the G20 Summit.
The Indian-Middle East-Europe economic corridor is poised to launch soon, heralding a historic era of collaboration in connectivity and infrastructure. This pioneering initiative involves India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, EU, France, Italy, Germany, and the US.
The unveiling of this project took place during the annual Group of 20 summit, with both US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi playing pivotal roles in its announcement. Termed the “Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment,” this initiative is set to create rail and shipping connections from India to Europe through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen lauded the corridor as “historic” and emphasized its potential to significantly expedite trade, reducing travel time between India and Europe by 40%. Von der Leyen described the project as a “green and digital bridge across continents and civilizations,” which includes provisions for transmitting electricity and data.
This ambitious rail and shipping corridor is not only designed to foster economic growth but also to promote political cooperation on a global scale.
