 "I2U2")
The Israel-Hamas war is likely to impact future collaboration efforts by the India-Israel-United Arab Emirates-United States (I2U2) countries, though the initial project implementation in India is unlikely to be affected.
“Until the Israel-Hamas war reaches some kind of conclusion, it will be difficult for the UAE to come to the table with Israel at the I2U2 forum. While the ongoing projects in India are not going to be impacted, the ambitious plans for collaborations elsewhere, including in Africa, will be impacted,” a government official said, requesting anonymity.
I2U2 was conceptualised during a meeting of the foreign ministers of the four countries in October 2021. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his then Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and US President Joe Biden participated in the first Leaders' Summit of I2U2, held virtually in July 2022.
Touted as the West Asian Quad, I2U2 has agreed to identify bankable projects to increase joint investment in six critical areas: water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security. The group aims to mobilise private sector capital and expertise to achieve a variety of goals, including modernising infrastructure, advancing low carbon development pathways, and improving public health.
In reply to an email query by Business Standard, a State Department spokesperson said no upcoming events for I2U2 were scheduled at this time. “I2U2 has transformed from concept to reality, working to tackle global challenges and advance economic opportunities. This fall, we launched the I2U2 Private Enterprise Partnership, released the official I2U2 website to enable submission of new projects, and announced a new joint space venture,” he said.
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After a long pause, progress has been made for the UAE investment in a food park in Gujarat under the I2U2 framework that will focus on food items such as banana, potato, rice, and onions, with India waiving the Essential Commodities Act for processing and export of such items.
“India will provide appropriate land for the project and will facilitate farmers’ integration into the food parks. The US and Israeli private sectors will be invited to lend their expertise and offer innovative solutions that contribute to the overall sustainability of the project. These investments will help maximise crop yields and, in turn, help tackle food insecurity in South Asia and the Middle East,” the I2U2 joint statement released in July 2022 said.
