Istanbul - Turkey is engaged in "intensive negotiations" to establish an alternative trade corridor to the India-Middle East trade route, which was finalized during the recent G20 summit. Turkey is striving to strengthen its historical role in the transportation of goods from Asia to Europe.
Turkey has expressed reservations about the proposed India-Middle East route, which would route goods from the Indian subcontinent to European markets through the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that there can be "no corridor without Turkey" and insisted that the most suitable trade route from east to west must involve Turkey.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan echoed this skepticism, suggesting that the primary goal of the India-Middle East corridor may not be rationality and efficiency but rather geopolitical considerations. He stated that a trade route reflects geostrategic competition, hinting at the broader implications.
Turkey has put forward an alternative proposal known as the Iraq Development Road initiative. Intensive negotiations are ongoing with Qatar, the UAE, and Iraq regarding this project, which is expected to be forged "within the next few months."
The proposed $17 billion route envisions the transportation of goods from the Grand Faw port in southern Iraq, passing through ten Iraqi provinces, ultimately reaching Turkey, as outlined in diagrams released by the Baghdad government.
However, Turkey faces financial constraints in realizing the full scope of this project and appears to be seeking support from the UAE and Qatar to build the necessary infrastructure. Convincing these Gulf states of the project's return on investment remains a key challenge.
Furthermore, there are concerns about security and stability that could impact both the construction and long-term viability of the project, according to Emre Peker, Europe director at the Eurasia Group think-tank. These factors add complexity to Turkey's efforts to establish an alternative trade route in the region.