Politics Of Corridors: IMEC Vs BRI, Geopolitical And Geostrategic Implications Of IMEC

Abstract

Transnational economic corridors have now emerged as an important part of the geopolitics of the world in the recent past. Among the most famous corridors, the International Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) led by China can be recognize as the main actor in determining the further trends in the evolution of the existing and new trade routes. This research paper aims at analyzing the strategic and geo-political perspective of the IMEC in comparison with BRI while comparing its likely impacts on the balance of power on the international system with particular references to south Asia, the Middle East and central Asia. The work examines these corridors in terms of geopolitical rivalry with a main aim of establishing their economic, political and security implications and how they can shape the interactions of this region. The paper discusses the extent to which each initiative is strategic, the contests they encounter, and the future impact they will have on the former patterns of commerce, continental and global integration, and geopolitics.