Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Joe Biden and other G20 leaders announced plans to construct a rail and shipping corridor that would link India with the Middle East and Europe.
The Ford School's John Ciorciari, whose research focuses on international law and politics in the Global South, gave insight into the announcement's importance..
"The G20 summit was a big deal for a few reasons," he said. "It was a major opportunity for the Modi government to market India as an emergent great power. It was also a chance for Biden to advance the Indo-U.S. relationship at a time when Putin and Xi were absent and to pursue a development agenda in response to China's Belt and Road Initiative.
"India's aim of boosting connectivity to the Middle East and Europe is a key illustration of an effort to build multipolar infrastructure across the Eurasian landmass—not simply a China-centric network. India will find suitors for its effort to develop the rail network. Japan, the United States and others are keen to revive the World Bank's infrastructure lending programs and to use other levers to stay in the game."
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