French Envoy Visits India for IMEEC Project

New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI) The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) initiative could become a flagship project of the European Union's 'Global Gateway' connectivity strategy, France said on Wednesday as President Emmanuel Macron's special envoy for the mega project wrapped up a two-day trip to India.

Gerard Mestrallet undertook the visit to better understand New Delhi's infrastructures and development strategy, in particular the port of Mundra as IMEEC partner nations are looking at implementing the mega connectivity project.

Mestrallet said the IMEEC will facilitate stepping up of India-France cooperation in several areas such as low carbon energies, digital data and port-to-port partnerships.

Mestrallet, the French President's Special Envoy for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, visited Gujarat on September 16 to 17.

France is the first signatory country of the project to have officially appointed a dedicated special envoy.

In the coming months, France will actively work with Indian government officials and companies to find a common ground to facilitate the IMEEC pre-project phase, the French embassy said in a readout.

India and France, being at the entry and end points of this transnational rail and shipping route, have a shared interest and responsibility to develop this project to enhance trade accessibility and economic cooperation, it said.

"The IMEEC will allow to substantially step up our cooperation in key focus areas such as low carbon energies, digital data and port-to-port partnerships," Mestrallet said.

As IMEEC also has a European dimension, this project could become a flagship project of the European Union's "Global Gateway" connectivity strategy, the French embassy said.

In December 2021, the EU unveiled the "Global Gateway" initiative with a planned investment of 300 billion euros (USD 340 billion) in global connectivity and climate projects. The mega project is largely being seen as an answer to China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Billed as a pathbreaking initiative, the IMEEC envisages a vast road, railroad and shipping networks among Saudi Arabia, India, the United States and Europe with an aim to ensure integration among Asia, Middle East and West.

The initiative was firmed up on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Delhi last year.

The French embassy readout said Mestrallet's visit was aimed at better understanding India's infrastructures and development strategy, in particular the port of Mundra as the IMEEC project will connect ports in India, the Middle East and Europe.

Mestrallet, accompanied by his diplomatic advisor, military advisor, and Jean-Marc Sere-Charlet, Consul General of France in Mumbai, went to the Mundra port as it is one of the main points of this corridor, and met economic actors involved in this project.

They visited the terminals and renewable energies facilities recently built in Mundra, the embassy said.

Mestrallet undertook his first official trip, in this capacity, as part of the official visit of President Emmanuel Macron for India's 75th Republic Day in January 2024 as chief guest.

On this occasion, IMEEC was identified as a strategic area of cooperation between France and India, the readout said.

During his second visit, Mestrallet highlighted that the "existing direct shipping line between Mundra and Marseille is an asset which displays competitive time for export and import flows".

The delegation also underlined the strategic role that some major French and European companies could play in the project -- for instance, CMA-CGM, headquartered in Marseille and with an important footprint in Mumbaï, is already operating one terminal in Mundra and has boosted sea-connectivity across India, according to the readout.

The special envoy will return to India for a series of official meetings in New Delhi in November to demonstrate France's strong commitment to this initiative, it said.