The United States has applauded India for its successful hosting of the G20 summit and has hailed the groundbreaking 'India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.' This corridor is expected to revolutionize connectivity between Europe and Asia, fostering economic growth across both continents.
The G20 Leaders' summit, conducted during India's presidency, concluded on Sunday. On the summit's sidelines, leaders from the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy, and the European Union jointly introduced the ambitious India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). This corridor is being viewed as an alternative to China's contentious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the US State Department, remarked during a routine press briefing that the IMEC marks a significant development, one that will facilitate connectivity from Europe to Asia while stimulating economic growth and cooperation in energy and digital connectivity across the two continents.
He explained, "The memorandum of understanding is among the United States, India, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, EU, and other G20 partners to explore a shipping and rail transportation corridor that will enable the flow of commerce, energy, and data from India, the Middle East, and Europe."
Miller also commended the G20 Summit in New Delhi, describing it as a resounding success. He highlighted the importance of the G20's statement, which called for the respect of territorial integrity and sovereignty, emphasizing its relevance in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
He noted, "We believe the fact that the organization was able to issue a statement that calls for respecting territorial integrity and sovereignty and saying that those principles should not be violated is an extremely important statement because that is exactly what is at the heart of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine."
Furthermore, Miller emphasized the productive engagement of President Biden and Secretary Blinken with their counterparts at the summit, underscoring the value of direct dialogue in advancing US foreign policy objectives.
On joint declaraion issued during the G20 summit, Miller said: “First, with respect to the statement, the G20 is a big organisation. Russia is a member of the G20; China is a member of the G20. There are members that have a diverse range of views. We believe the fact that the organisation was able to issue a statement that calls for respecting territorial integrity and sovereignty and saying that those principles should not be violated is an extremely important statement because that is exactly what is at the heart of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” he said.
Downplaying Chinese president Xi Jinping's absence from the summit, Miller said: “With respect to (Chinese) President Xi Jinping not attending – I’m not going to speak to whether President Xi should have attended or should not have attended. I will say we found it incredibly productive for President Biden and Secretary Blinken to be there, engaging directly with their counterparts,” he said.
India played a pivotal role in brokering a consensus among G20 countries on the contentious Ukraine conflict through intense negotiations, with emerging economies like Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia actively contributing to the agreement on the declaration during the summit.
The G20 encompasses nations that represent approximately 85% of global GDP, over 75% of global trade, and about two-thirds of the world's population. Its membership includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US, and the European Union. Notably, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20 during this summit.
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