IMEC: India’s Connectivity Challenge To BRI – Analysis

In January 2026, the European Union and India framed corridor competition in operational terms: high standards, deeper collaboration under IMEC to diversify routes and reduce strategic dependencies, and a named EU-Africa-India Digital Corridor via the Blue Raman submarine cable system.  The implication is simple: the contest is moving from “who builds more” to “who lowers trade friction, survives domestic politics, and protects critical links.”

The baseline: why BRI cannot enter India...