New York/Washington, Apr 18 (PTI) A US-Italy joint statement takes note of the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor, calling it one of the “greatest economic integration and connectivity projects of this century” that will connect partners and stimulate economic development and integration from India onward to the United States.

“The US and Italy will work together to develop the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), one of the greatest economic integration and connectivity projects of this century, connecting partners by ports, railways, and undersea cables and stimulating economic development and integration from India, to the Gulf to Israel, to Italy, and onward to the United States,” the joint statement issued Friday said.

The ‘United States – Italy Joint Leaders’ Statement’ was issued after US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s first official meeting in Washington, DC Thursday. PTI YAS NPK NPK

Economic integration project IMEC: US and Italy pledge joint development of ports, railways and undersea cables to boost connectivity. The United States and Italy committed to collaborate on developing the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), describing it as a major transregional economic integration and connectivity project. The statement identifies the corridor's operative components as ports, railways, and undersea cables, and frames the initiative as a mechanism to connect partners and stimulate economic development and integration from India through the Gulf and Israel to Italy and onward to the United States.