The US signed an agreement with India, Middle Eastern countries and the European Union aimed at connecting them via a network of railways and sea routes, a development that comes as China builds its influence across the energy-rich region.
The US has been quietly holding talks since January on the project with India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Israel. The plan is to link Middle Eastern countries by rail and to India through shipping lanes from ports in the region, extending on to eastern Europe.
