The elastic interaction of two rigid line inclusions is analyzed when the inclusions are embedded in a finite matrix. The boundary element method is used to solve for the elastic field. We investigate three generic configurations. Namely, parallel, collinear and radial configuration. The inclusions start interacting when the distance between the tips is less than their length. The strain near an inclusion tip decreases due to the interaction in the case of parallel inclusion. In the case of collinear inclusion, the interaction amplifies the strain field. In the case of radial configuration, the effect of the interaction again amplifies the strain field and the magnitude of amplification depends on the angular orientation of the inclusions. Using the collinear and parallel inclusion configurations, we show that the strain intensity factors for inclusion problem behave in a similar fashion to the stress intensity factors for crack problems. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd