Donald Trump says Israel part of his "greatest trade" route across Middle East

During a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Donald Trump said that the United States seeks to build one of the "greatest trade routes in history," which will include Israel in its path, according to the Times of Israel.

Continuing a plan begun under President Joe Biden and aimed at both competing with the Chinese Belt and Road and bypassing the Houthi-dominated Red Sea, the route will reportedly include “ports, railways and underseas cables” running “from India to Israel to Italy, and onwards to the United States.”

President Trump also said that the United States would be selling F-35 planes to India, a major gesture given the small number of countries to which the US is willing to sell these highly advanced planes to. Trump and Modi are also discussing conducting deals in oil and gas and working out deals over tariffs, and the Indian Prime Minister has already said that anyone illegally in the US will be readmitted into India without resistance.

India under Prime Minister Modi has become openly friendly with Israel, especially when led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Both sides have exchanged friendly greetings and engaged in security cooperation and defense deals.

The idea of a trade route bypassing the Red Sea began under President Biden, as the hopes of successfully deterring the Houthis against attacking international shipping receded and ships started going around the more expensive and longer route around the African continent.

Transportation Minister Miri Regev was one of the first to propose such a route back in February of last year. Her plan involved using the Indian port of Mundra to transport goods. From there, they would be transported by truck across Saudi Arabia and Jordan to Israel and from there to Europe - much like the route proposed by President Trump.