The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor from the perspective of the Middle Powers

This thesis aims to explore through what narratives India, as a middle power, views the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and how this perspective translates into its presentation. Based on a qualitative thematic discursive analysis of Indian government documents, speeches and media texts, the thesis concludes that India systematically reflects the four principles of the theory of flexible multilateralism. First, the principle of contextual specificity is reflected by narratives that present IMEC as a flexible and adaptive regime in contrast to China's Belt and Road Initiative and as a project based on diverse partnerships. Second, the principle of complementarity is reflected in the choice of a partnership-building strategy with a broad agenda, a limited number of actors and a diversification of partners to maintain diplomatic flexibility. Third, the principle of consensus building is reflected in the effort to create a specific "IMEC consensus" based on pragmatic regional norms in order to gain international recognition and thus confirm its status as a middle power. Fourth, the non-confrontational approach to great powers is implemented through a dual strategy that legitimizes the existing world order while prioritizing triangular cooperation (TrC) primarily with the US, which the thesis conceptualizes as a complex hybrid "tetrahedral cooperation" (TtC). India's involvement in IMEC is thus not accidental, but represents a thoughtful and coherent embodiment of its foreign policy strategy as an active middle power in the 21st century.