Why Italy matters to India

News: Various global threats like Piracy in the Red Sea, conflict in Middle East, Russian invasion of Ukraine merit greater India-Italy coordination to ensure free, open, and prosperous Indo-Mediterranean.

1. Red Sea is a semi-enclosed sea of the Indian Ocean, located between Africa and Asia.

2. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti are the countries which bordering Red Sea:

3. Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.

4. United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS), 1982: It came into force in 1994 to provide a regulatory framework for the use of world’s seas and oceans, ensures conservation of marine environment and protection of living resources of the sea.

5. It defines Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as an area of ocean extending up to 200 nautical miles from a country’s land coast.

6. India-Middle- East- Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC): It is ambitious economic corridor that proposes to foster connectivity and economic integration between Asia, Persian Gulf and Europe.

7. Participant Countries include India, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and US.

8. It will comprise of 2 separate corridors: A) East Corridor connecting India to the Gulf, B) Northern Corridor connecting Gulf to Europe.