NSAs of India, US, Saudi meet; talks of mammoth rail line in West Asia: Reports

New Delhi: A high-level meet of National security advisors (NSAs) of four nations including India is happening in Saudi Arabia and reports suggest that a mammoth railway project is one of the main agenda of Summit.

If reports are to be believed, the four NSAs will discuss developing a mammoth railway infrastructure in the Middle East and then extending it to US & India via shipping lanes.

The meeting, being the first of its kind, brings the four nations United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India on one common platform for a ‘shared objective’ of building unprecedented connectivity in West India, with US being one of the driving force behind this association.

US NSA Jake Sullivan The meeting is also likely to hold talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reports suggest.

According to a report in Axios, all four nations are expected to lay the roadmap for a network of railways that would connect the Gulf countries with India & US.

Will it counter China’s BRI?

The mammoth rail link between US, Saudi, UAE & India, if conceived & gets started, it could well be a strong counter to China’s expansionist designs & growing influence in the region.

China’s Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) is a highly ambitious & unprecedented project to develop new modes of seamless connectivity with the West via rail network. Through the BRI project, China also wants to develop connectivity with the Middle East and become an important player in latter’s affairs.

US administration, with an aim to limit China’s rising influence in the region, is keen on the rail link via Middle East, extending upto India. Reports suggest that Israel could also be invited onboard at later stage, after the projects an gets going.