String of Pearls (SoP) is a term that is used to describe the Chinese attempt to establish a network in India Ocean Region (IOR). Each Pearl represents some form of permanent Chinese military installation that will eventually help China to project its power, either offensive or defensive, into the South Asia and beyond. The recent development of ports around India, in Gwadar, Hambantota, Sittwe on the Bay of Bengal Coast in Myanmar, etc., are seen as part of a string of pearls.
China’s String of Pearls strategy impacts India in its three most important spheres: ideology, diplomacy, and marine security. The Chinese expansion concerns India’s influence on the South Asian countries: it leads to hard bargaining; China has already established itself in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the Maldives.
Strategic impact: The strategic impact of the Chinese deployment of String of Pearls in the Indian Ocean region is that the dominance of the Indian Ocean will shift from India to China. It will simultaneously increase the strategic clout of China in the western Pacific. Countries in the Indian Ocean which today do not want to play ball with China can be forced to as a result of strategic value provided by String of Pearls in terms of access, surveillance, and power projection. In a way, this can lead to an increasing irrelevance of India in the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.
Economic impact: The string of pearls theory is a counter-balance strategy to check India. China is developing ports in the Indian Ocean region and its capacity to enter into the imports can definitely be kept under check through these ports. Indian resources will be diverted towards defence and security. Thus, the economy will not reach its potential hampering economic growth. This may further lead to instability in India and the whole east and south east region.
Maritime security: The String of Pearls is a series of Chinese-developed seaports located where the Indian Ocean meets the western Pacific Ocean. The Chinese are planning to develop a set of seaports located in the Indian Ocean and close to its trade routes. The idea is to make it easier for China’s navy to access, and this makes India uneasy. India claims that these ports could be used by China as military bases.
Act East Policy: India’s Act East Policy, also referred to as ‘Look East’ policy is a foreign policy followed by India to strengthen its relationship with countries in the East. It has been one of the successful policies for India and it has made tremendous progress in the region both economically and strategically.
Military relationships: India’s military strategy in the region has also been highlighted by its construction of a deep seaport in Chabahar, Iran which will give India direct access to Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan. Indian military presence in the IOR is finally beginning to emerge with an increased number of naval personnel and infrastructure development being witnessed in the region.
Neighborhood First Policy: India’s relations with all of its neighbors in the region have expanded and are guided by India’s ‘Neighborhood First Policy’ under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Using a combination of diplomatic, economic and military means, India has been able to change the balance of power in its favor by countering China’s sea lines of communication.
Chabahar port: India took conscious steps to counter the alleged China-Pakistan nexus in Afghanistan. India is investing heavily in the development of Iran's Chabahar, far from Pakistan's Gwadar ports. New Delhi expects Chabahar port to be a key transit point to facilitate trade agreements that include Afghanistan, Central Asian republics and Russia. The development of Chabahar will not only isolate Pakistan but also help India gain a strategic position overlooking the Gulf of Oman from where its nine oil tankers are lifted.
Strategic pact with France: In the wake of the string of pearls China is building in the Indian Ocean, India and France have signed a strategic pact that opens up their naval bases to each other’s warships across the Indian Ocean. The deal seeks to expand cooperation in maritime security, joint exercises, and training between the Indian navy and French naval force, which includes nuclear submarines on lease from France. The agreement was signed in New Delhi during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit.
Surrounding China in the north: India has invested a lot diplomatically in countries like Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, all surrounding China. The overall drift of India's diplomacy reflects the desire to make Central Asia a strategic landbridge for Indian interests. Geographically and historically, Central Asia is part of the Indian sub-continent. They were once part of the Achaemenid Persian Empire that included Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Naval bases and airfields: India is countering Chinese power projection in the Indian Ocean by pursuing military agreements abroad that provide access to foreign bases and airfields. The number of agreements provides India with alternatives to its neighborhood, especially China-dominated ports and airfields in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.