Armenia is strategically placed to offer India an alternative maritime trade route, particularly with Europe, said Narek Mkrtchyan, Armenia's Minister of Labour and Social Affairs.
Speaking at the ninth edition of the Raisina Dialogue in the capital, Mkrtchyan expressed the Armenian government's commitment to forging partnerships in key regional and global initiatives such as the North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), the Black Sea Gulf Transport and the Transit Corridor, including the joint development of the Chabahar port between India and Iran.
This proposal is significant in light of the increasing attention being paid to alternative maritime routes, driven by security issues in conventional routes such as the Red Sea.
The Raisina Dialogue, India's premier conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, is committed to addressing the pressing issues facing the global community.
Elaborating on the country's proposal for an alternative trade route, the Armenian minister stressed its importance, particularly in light of the fact that various countries, including India, are seeking alternative maritime routes for trade with Europe and the West. This need has arisen due to the series of attacks on merchant ships sailing in the Red Sea.
Houthi-initiated attacks on Red Sea trade routes began in mid-November, with the group blaming the disruptions on its demands for an end to Israel's offensive in Gaza and the delivery of aid to Palestinians living under a 'siege.'