The geopolitics of the belt and road initiative and IMEC in the Middle East

Amid ongoing transformations in the global balance of power, large-scale connectivity projects and infrastructural investments have increasingly become key instruments of geopolitical competition. Within this evolving context, geo-economic corridors have emerged as significant arenas through which major powers seek to expand influence, shape regional connectivity, and secure strategic economic interests. Two initiatives have become particularly prominent in this regard: China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the recently proposed India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). The geographic convergence of these corridors across the Middle East has intensified strategic contestation, creating multiple layers of competition at both regional and global levels. This study examines the role of geo-economic corridors within contemporary geopolitical dynamics by addressing a central research question: do such corridors constitute primary drivers of regional conflict, or do they function primarily as instruments embedded within broader geopolitical rivalries among major powers? To explore this question, the study analyzes the spatial intersections between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), the mechanisms through which corridor-related tensions are managed, the divergent strategic objectives pursued by China and the United States, and the resulting implications for shifting global alignments. Methodologically, the research draws on in-depth qualitative interviews with experts and analysts specializing in regional geopolitics and international relations in order to capture informed perceptions regarding emerging connectivity dynamics. The analysis is guided by geopolitical theory, which provides the conceptual framework for interpreting evolving configurations of power and the reconfiguration of political geography across the Middle East.