New Delhi: At NXT Conclave 2025, a panel discussion on The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) explored its ambitious initiative aimed at enhancing connectivity and economic integration between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The key guests for the panel were Jason Isaacson (Session Chair), Chief Policy & Political Affairs Officer; Ambassador Ron Malka, Chairman of Haifa Port Company; Ambassador Marc Seivers, Director of AJC Dubai; and Dr. Manjari Singh, Author of India and the Gulf: A Security Perspective. Jason Isaacson raised a question about official contact between the UAE and Israel. He said, “The Israeli foreign minister was recently in the UAE. We met a UAE delegation that was recently in Israel. It seems to be more possible now to talk about that relationship that has been on track since 2020 but was maintaining a much lower visibility after the Israel-Hamas war.”
Adding to this, Dr. Manjari Singh said, “Before discussing what happened after, you know, Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the US, I would like to say that, you know, today, if you look at it, of course, the 20th century was a century of geopolitics, but the 21st century is a century of geoeconomics.”
On Israel’s role in IMEC, Ambassador Ron Malka said, “Israel sees itself as the gateway of the East to the West. And as you mentioned, this war that started in October 2023 really changed the situation. We need to just wait to see how things calm down and let the dust settle. But now, especially after President Trump has announced again this corridor…”
Talking about the Haifa Port, Ron Malka said that both Haifa Port, which is now owned by Indians, and Adani understand the importance of this route. “Of course, they have the vision that it will be viable and bring so much prosperity to the region,” he added.
On being asked about a discussion that he convened on IMEC in Abu Dhabi just a couple of months ago, Marc Seivers said, “It’s a longstanding interest of the United States to see stability and economic prosperity spread throughout the Middle East.” He further added, “Meanwhile, the current situation