Leaders of the US, India, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the EU have agreed to work together to establish a multinational rail and shipping corridor connecting south Asia to the Middle East and Europe. The initiative, announced on the sidelines of the G20 summit in New Delhi on 9 September, could act as a counter to China's growing influence across the energy-rich Middle East. The India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is "expected to stimulate economic development through enhanced connectivity and economic integration between Asia, the Arabian Gulf and Europe", according to a statement from the White House. It ... (full story)