China and Pakistan’s military partnership has reached a new strategic milestone with the commissioning of Pakistan’s first Hangor-class submarine in Sanya.
President Asif Ali Zardari attended the ceremony as chief guest, underscoring the political weight of the event. Pakistan’s military described the induction as a continuation of close bilateral ties, calling it another chapter in the time-tested friendship between the two nations.
The submarine is based on China’s Type 039A/039B Yuan-class design and is the lead vessel of an eight-boat programme. Four submarines are being built in China, while the remaining four will be constructed in Pakistan under a technology transfer arrangement.
Equipped with air-independent propulsion systems, the Hangor-class can remain submerged for extended periods with reduced detection risk, significantly enhancing Pakistan’s sea-denial capability in the Arabian Sea.
This marks a major boost to Pakistan’s conventional submarine arm, which has until now relied on French-origin Agosta-90B and older Agosta-70 boats.
For Pakistan, submarines have long been the principal asymmetric tool to offset its smaller surface fleet against India’s larger naval force. Analysts note that in a contingency in the Arabian Sea, a larger AIP-backed Pakistani submarine fleet could complicate India’s anti-submarine warfare environment.
The induction comes at a time when India’s own conventional submarine modernisation remains incomplete. None of India’s submarines currently has operational AIP capability, though the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s indigenous fuel-cell based AIP system is expected to be ready for integration later this year.
INS Khanderi is slated to be the first Kalvari-class submarine to undergo retrofit, with trials projected before operational deployment around early 2028.
India presently operates six Kalvari-class Scorpene submarines alongside ageing Sindhughosh (Kilo-class) and Shishumar-class boats. Concerns over force levels have been repeatedly flagged amid delays in replacement and capability upgrades.
The long-delayed Project-75I, under which Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd and Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems are to jointly build six next-generation AIP-equipped submarines, still awaits final Cabinet Committee on Security clearance. Even if approved soon, the first submarine is unlikely before the early to mid-2030s.
Beyond fleet numbers, the Hangor induction reflects China’s expanding strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean Region, supported by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Gwadar port and broader Arabian Sea access.
According to SIPRI data, China now accounts for over 80 percent of Pakistan’s arms imports, ranging from JF-17 and J-10C fighters armed with PL-15 missiles to HQ-9/P air defence systems, Type 054A/P frigates, armed drones, missile systems and now submarines.
The partnership has also moved beyond platform transfers. During Operation Sindoor last year, China provided Pakistan with satellite-based intelligence on Indian deployments, with Pakistan acting as the front face of these operations.
This development highlights the deepening China-Pakistan military axis and raises fresh challenges for India’s maritime security environment, particularly in the Arabian Sea and wider Indian Ocean Region.
Agencies
