Archive · 19 Aug 2026
India Urged to Exclude Turkey from Trade Corridor
The article argues India should seek Turkey’s exclusion from the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
It cites Turkey’s Mecca Joint Defence Agreement with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as a reason for concern.
The article says Turkey already supports Pakistan through arms sales and diplomatic backing against India.
IMEC remains speculative, with unresolved questions about funding, freight volumes, legal mechanisms and route design.
It argues that excluding Turkey and routes through Syria would give New Delhi greater strategic leverage.
- Who
- India, Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the other proposed IMEC participants.
- What
- The article urges India to oppose Turkey’s role in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor because of Ankara’s growing defence relationship with Pakistan.
- When
- Following the newly signed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement and before IMEC reaches practical implementation.
- Where
- The proposed corridor would connect India with the Middle East and Europe; the article focuses on possible routes through Turkey and Syria.
- Why
- The article argues that Turkey’s security ties, arms sales and diplomatic support for Pakistan make it an unreliable participant in an India-linked trade corridor.
Arguments for Excluding Turkey
Arguments for Keeping Route Options Open
Security alignment
Arguments for Excluding Turkey
India should exclude Turkey because the Mecca agreement formally connects Ankara to Pakistan’s security guarantees, while Turkey also supports Pakistan through arms sales and diplomacy.
Arguments for Keeping Route Options Open
The article notes that Turkey has a traditionally realistic foreign policy and greater democracy than Iran, suggesting that alternatives involving Turkey may still have strategic value.
Trade-route design
Arguments for Excluding Turkey
Avoiding Turkey and its areas of influence in Syria would establish clearer security boundaries for IMEC before the project advances.
Arguments for Keeping Route Options Open
The article acknowledges that IMEC’s final route remains unsettled and says it is not yet clear whether a route through Turkey would be better than the International North-South Transport Corridor.
Project practicality
Arguments for Excluding Turkey
Excluding a potentially insecure Turkey-Syria route could reduce risks to high-value freight bound for Europe.
Arguments for Keeping Route Options Open
Keeping route options open could help address IMEC’s unresolved questions about freight volumes, capital costs, legal arbitration and links between India, the Middle East and Europe.
- Proposed corridor
- The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, or IMEC.
- Agreement cited
- The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, described as linking Turkey and Pakistan through security guarantees.
- Turkey’s role
- The article says Turkey supplies Pakistan with arms and diplomatic backing and could provide additional military systems.
- India’s proposed response
- New Delhi should seek to exclude Turkey and avoid routes through Turkey and areas of its influence in Syria.
- Project status
- IMEC is described as largely speculative, with unresolved funding, freight-volume and legal questions.
- Other route concern
- The article questions whether a Turkey-Syria route could safely carry high-value goods because of Syria’s instability.
- Competing corridor
- The article compares IMEC with the International North-South Transport Corridor, while noting sanctions affecting the Iranian route.