World
EU Urges Diversification of India‑Europe Trade Routes Amid Hormuz Shipping Concerns
By Bhanu Pratap
The European Union has endorsed the India‑Middle East‑Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) as a way to diversify trade routes and strengthen India‑Europe connectivity. European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas warned that global trade cannot rely on a single maritime route, port or chokepoint. He made the remarks at the ‘Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue 2026’ event held from 7 to 9 October in New Delhi, as worries about disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz during the Iran war have resurfaced.
Tzitzikostas said, “We cannot afford to depend on a single route, a single port or maritime chokepoint. When one is disrupted, the consequences extend to factories, energy markets, supply chains and eventually citizens and their everyday lives.” The IMEC, announced on 9 September 2023 at the G20 Summit in New Delhi, is a planned multimodal connectivity project that could provide alternative trade and transport links between India and Europe.
During a session on the India‑EU Green Shipping Corridor, Tzitzikostas explained that IMEC could diversify connectivity by creating a network of interconnected transport, energy and distribution links, with ports and maritime connections at its core. He noted that the EU’s Global Gateway initiative could help transform the IMEC vision into sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects.
He highlighted how recent disruptions have shown the speed with which conflict, piracy, organised crime and cyber threats at sea can affect global trade. “Europe and India are natural maritime partners. The ocean connects our economies and our societies. Our ports are gateways to trade, energy and industrial value chains,” he said.
Tzitzikostas also pointed to opportunities for cooperation on sustainable maritime fuels. Europe is creating a strong demand for such fuels, and India has significant renewable‑energy potential, including the production of green hydrogen derivatives such as green ammonia and methanol. He said, “Europe can provide India a growing market, technology and investment. This complementarity gives our partnership real potential.”
He called for implementation of green shipping corridors, stressing the need for credible projects, sustainable fuel supply, bold infrastructure and trusted standards and certifications. He identified sustainable shipping, resilient connectivity, maritime security and healthy oceans as the four pillars of India‑EU maritime cooperation.
Tzitzikostas said recent disruptions demonstrate the vulnerability of global maritime trade to security threats and that it makes sense to deepen cooperation on maritime security, including port and cyber security. He also stressed the importance of a global framework for shipping decarbonisation that is workable, enforceable and pragmatic, providing investors with certainty and supporting zero‑ and near‑zero‑emission shipping.
Describing India as one of the world’s three major maritime nations and a major source of seafarers, he added, “India’s voice will therefore be important in shaping global maritime rules. Our task now is to turn political ambition into concrete results: cleaner seas, more sustainable ports, safer rules and stronger global rules for our oceans.”