Masterstroke: How India Is Countering Pakistan and China In Indian Ocean

India’s 11,098 km coastline, a key strategic asset in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), positions it to leverage global supply chain shifts. The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), a multimodal network linking Asia, the Persian Gulf, and Europe, is a game-changer.

Signed by India, the U.S., UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, and the EU, IMEC revives historic trade routes, counters China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and elevates India as a global trade powerhouse.

By harnessing its location, IMEC boosts trade efficiency and strengthens India’s diplomatic leverage, especially against Pakistan and China.

Boosting Trade Efficiency and Market Access

IMEC’s infrastructure, linking India’s western ports like Mundra to Europe via the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and Greece, promises to reduce transit times by 40% and costs by 30% compared to the Suez Canal route.

This will strengthen India’s trade with the EU, its second-largest trading partner with $116 billion in 2023, and the GCC, where the UAE is India’s third-largest export destination, with $35.62 billion in FY 2023-24.

With India’s exports to the EU growing by 9.7% in FY 2023-24, driven by textiles, pharmaceuticals, and electronics, IMEC’s rail and sea connectivity, including the UAE’s Etihad Rail project, will bypass maritime chokepoints like the Red Sea, disrupted by Houthi attacks in 2024.

Aligned with India’s FTA with the UAE and ongoing EU FTA talks, IMEC will enhance market access and attract FDI, making India a prime destination for global commerce.

Its digital infrastructure, including undersea fibre-optic cables, will bolster India’s IT and fintech sectors, which contributed $254 billion to its economy in 2023, integrating India deeper into global value chains while reducing dependence on Chinese technology.

Also Read: India Vs Pakistan: Who Has More Powerful Military?

Countering China and Pakistan: Building India’s Geopolitical Leverage

IMEC is a strategic linchpin to counter China’s BRI and Pakistan’s influence, leveraging oceanic and land-based infrastructure to reshape geopolitics in India’s favor. China’s BRI, through ports like Gwadar in Pakistan’s CPEC, secures Beijing’s IOR foothold.

IMEC counters this by bypassing Pakistan, rendering Gwadar and CPEC less competitive and isolating Pakistan economically. Linking India’s western ports to the Middle East and Europe via sea and rail, IMEC offers a faster, secure route, undermining Pakistan’s transit hub role and CPEC’s viability against IMEC’s global backing.

Oceanically, IMEC strengthens India’s IOR maritime dominance, countering China’s String of Pearls strategy via ports in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Pakistan.

Supported by UAE and Saudi partnerships, IMEC’s secure routes and India’s naval presence neutralise Chinese and Pakistani disruptions. Undersea fibre-optic cables and secure telecoms reduce reliance on Chinese technology, bolstering India’s Digital Public Infrastructure and data sovereignty.

On land, IMEC’s rail and logistics, including UAE’s Etihad Rail, bypass Pakistan and sanction-hit Iran, offering a stable, sanctions-free route to Europe and the Middle East, vital for India’s energy security (53.89% of crude oil imports from the region, January 2025).

This marginalises Pakistan’s overland trade role and challenges China’s Eurasian logistics dominance, with IMEC’s digital systems further eroding Beijing’s technological grip.

India’s IMEC leadership strengthens ties with the U.S., EU, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, sidelining Pakistan’s influence. With 8.5 million Indian expatriates in the GCC versus Pakistan’s smaller diaspora, India deepens economic ties, diminishing Pakistan’s relevance.

By countering China’s coercion and Pakistan’s ambitions, IMEC elevates India’s geopolitical leverage as a trusted global partner.

Fostering Economic Diversification and Boosting Make in India

IMEC’s Special Economic Zones will attract investment in manufacturing, IT, and defence, diversifying India’s trade. Its digital connectivity will strengthen the service sector, potentially employing 30% of India’s workforce. Coastal infrastructure development will create millions of high-paying, high-impact jobs.

Aligned with “Make in India,” IMEC will boost industrial growth, with electronics exports rising 22% to $29 billion in FY 2023-24, fostering economic stability.

By excluding Pakistan from its economic benefits, IMEC ensures India’s industrial gains remain unchallenged by regional rivals.

The Next Step for India’s Trade Evolution

IMEC builds on Chabahar Port and the INSTC, providing a Western-aligned, sanctions-free alternative to routes through Pakistan or China-influenced regions. With GCC trade at $184 billion and Red Sea disruptions underscoring the need for resilient pathways, IMEC supports India’s “just in case” supply chain strategy.

Backed by the G7’s $600 billion PGII and India’s diplomacy, including S. Jaishankar’s 2024 Middle East tour, IMEC navigates challenges like regional conflicts and financing. By marginalising Pakistan and countering China’s BRI, it ensures India’s trade routes remain secure and independent.

Conclusion

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor is a monumental force in India’s economic and geopolitical strategy, leveraging its 11,098 km coastline and strategic IOR position to integrate India into Eurasian trade networks, secure energy supplies, and decisively counter China and Pakistan.

By bypassing Pakistan and challenging China’s BRI through secure oceanic and land-based infrastructure, IMEC diminishes their regional influence while elevating India’s global trade prominence.

Operationalizing IMEC is the first step toward transforming India into an economic superpower, with sustained momentum and strategic coastal projects unlocking its full potential to reshape the global order in India’s favor.