During the G20 summit, the United States pushed for an ambitious “corridor” project that would connect India and Europe, via railways and maritime transport lines passing through the Middle East, with a leading role for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

An initial agreement was signed on Saturday in New Delhi, between the United States, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, the European Union, France, Germany, and Italy, according to a statement published by the White House.

Commenting on this signing, the US President said, “It is really important,” speaking about a “historic” agreement during his participation in a symposium that brought together the relevant leaders.

For her part, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that the project is “much bigger than just railways or cables,” referring to “a green and digital bridge between continents and civilizations.”

At the conclusion of the meeting, Joe Biden approached Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, host of the G20 summit, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for a group handshake.

A little over a year ago, the 80-year-old Democrat sparked intense controversy when, during his visit to Saudi Arabia, he retreated from his position towards Mohammed bin Salman, whom the United States viewed as the sponsor of the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Since then, the United States has intensified its efforts to strengthen relations with the oil kingdom, justifying the matter with its strategic interests.

A document published by the Biden administration regarding the announcement of the grand “corridor” between India and Europe said, “We want to launch a new era connected through a railway network, linking ports in Europe with the Middle East and Asia.”

The goal is to create a “commercial contract,” while “encouraging the development and export of clean energy,” according to the document. The project will also include laying submarine cables.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the project should also “promote integration in the Middle East,” including among “unlikely partners,” pointing at the same time to Israel and Jordan among the countries concerned.

Joe Biden, keen to leave his diplomatic mark in the region, is trying to persuade Saudi Arabia and Israel to normalize their relations.

However, Sullivan clarified that the agreement on the major infrastructure project, the timetable for which is still unclear, “is not specifically a preparatory signal for normalization.”

With this announcement, the US President is trying to fill the space left vacant by Chinese President Xi Jinping, by not heading to New Delhi to attend the G20 summit, like his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

On the other hand, the United States and Europe announced that they are uniting their efforts to support another infrastructure project, this time in Africa. This project is the "Lobito Corridor", which connects the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia through the port of Lobito in Angola.

Michael Kugelman, an expert on South Asia affairs at the Wilson Center in Washington, said on the “X” platform, “If this is achieved, it will change the rules of the game by strengthening ties between India and the Middle East,” adding that this “aims to confront the Belt and Road Initiative.”

Through the Belt and Road Initiative, which comes within the framework of the New Silk Roads programme, Beijing is making huge investments in a number of developing countries to build infrastructure.

This project aims to improve trade relations between Asia, Europe, Africa and even beyond, by building ports, railway networks, airports or industrial complexes, allowing the Asian giant to reach more markets and open new outlets for its companies.

However, his opponents believe that Beijing aims to enhance its political influence, and they also criticize the exorbitant debts that he imposes on poor countries. Joe Biden described it last June as a “debt and confiscation program” that “will not go very far.”

A French diplomatic source pointed out that “within this idea (the new logistics corridor), there is competition with the Silk Roads,” considering that New Delhi’s announcement is “just the beginning of a long story.”