Lawmakers Urge Trump Admin To Prioritize India Europe Electricity Link
WASHINGTON, DC – A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged the Trump administration to prioritize the Great Sea Interconnector, an undersea electricity project linking the power grids of Greece, Cyprus and Israel that they say could support the India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
US Representatives Brad Schneider (D-IL) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) led the effort in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US International Development Finance Corporation CEO Ben Black. The lawmakers also requested a classified briefing on the challenges facing the project.
The proposed interconnector would link Cyprus to the European electricity transmission system, strengthen Israel’s security of electricity supply and support power flows between Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, according to the lawmakers.
They described the Eastern Mediterranean as an emerging energy and infrastructure hub connecting Europe, the Middle East and India and said the region could serve as an important gateway for IMEC.
“The United States has a clear interest in ensuring that this transformation strengthens our partners, diversifies energy routes, deepens regional integration and advances a transparent alternative to infrastructure dominated by strategic competitors,” the lawmakers said in the letter.
The letter was also signed by Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Craig Goldman (R-TX) and Haley Stevens (D-MI).
Schneider and Bilirakis introduced the bipartisan Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act in May 2025. The legislation seeks to strengthen the region’s role in US foreign policy and promote its position as a strategic link between India, the Middle East and Europe.
The lawmakers said the Great Sea Interconnector would advance the objectives of the legislation and provide an alternative to infrastructure controlled or dominated by US strategic competitors.
IMEC was announced at the G20 summit in New Delhi in September 2023. India, the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union signed a memorandum outlining plans for rail, shipping, energy and digital links.
The proposed corridor includes an eastern route connecting India with the Gulf and a northern route linking the Gulf with Europe. Supporters say the project could shorten trade routes, improve regional connectivity and promote closer economic integration among India, the Middle East and Europe. (IANS)
