Gregg Roman, chief operations officer and executive director of the Middle East Forum, with extensive experience including advisory roles in the Israeli Ministry of Defense, recently highlighted the growing geopolitical risks reshaping global trade. He explained that Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping routes since late 2023 have severely disrupted global maritime logistics, forcing companies like Maersk to reroute cargo via longer, costlier paths. Roman emphasized that these conflicts reveal global trade’s vulnerability to non-state actors and the urgent need for durable security solutions. He also noted the strategic rise of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) as a vital alternative to traditional routes like the Suez Canal. IMEC aims to connect India, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Europe, reducing reliance on volatile chokepoints and China-led initiatives. This corridor supports India’s strategic goals of diversifying supply chains and securing resilient global trade pathways.