Hungary’s Indo-Mediterranean Strategy: Navigating the New Golden Road

This report examines how Hungary, a landlocked Central European country, can position itself to benefit from the emergence of the Indo-Mediterranean economic system anchored by the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), herein referred to as the New Golden Road. Tracing the corridor’s civilizational lineage from Roman-Indian maritime trade to its present-day revival as a transregional infrastructure network, the report situates Hungary within the shifting geography of Eurasian commerce. It argues that Hungary’s strategy of connectivity—manifest in its investment in the Port of Trieste, its growing role as an air freight hub, and its positioning as a keystone state within Central Europe—aligns closely with the geostrategic and economic logic behind the New Golden Road. Drawing on historical precedent, current infrastructure dynamics, and evolving geopolitical alignments, the report outlines why and how Hungary should embed itself in the New Golden Road’s development. It concludes with a set of targeted policy recommendations aimed at transforming Hungary from a peripheral observer into a relevant and resilient participant. While Hungary cannot hope to dominate the corridor, it can—through positioning, diplomacy, and logistics—secure a firm place within it.