Analysts say Hangor-class submarines could challenge India’s naval dominance, especially in the northern Arabian Sea
Pakistan’s top naval official has confirmed that the first batch of Chinese-built Hangor-class submarines will soon enter service, a move analysts say could test India’s dominance in the Indian Ocean and marks a major technological milestone for Beijing.
This was told by Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of Naval Staff Global Times that the conventionally powered attack submarines jointly developed by China and Pakistan are expected to join the Pakistani navy next year.
“The submarine program is progressing smoothly,” Ashraf said. He highlighted the ships’ role in strengthening Pakistan’s submarine capability, promoting “self-reliance through technology transfer and skill development” and reflecting close Sino-Pakistani cooperation on naval equipment.
Ashraf added that platforms of Chinese origin have been reliable, technologically advanced and suitable for Pakistan Navy’s operational requirements. He noted that new technologies including unmanned systems, artificial intelligence and electronic warfare are increasingly important and Pakistan is exploring further cooperation with China in these areas.
Pakistan is the world’s largest importer of Chinese arms, accounting for 63% of Beijing’s global arms exports from 2020 to 2024, including naval systems. Islamabad has already received four Type 054 frigates, renamed Tughril-class frigates, in its fleet.
Analysts say Hangor-class submarines could challenge India’s naval dominance, particularly in the northern Arabian Sea. Liselotte Odgaard of the Hudson Institute in Washington said the ships improve Pakistan’s anti-access and area denial capabilities and can support China’s maritime corridors to the Middle East, including the Gwadar port.
“Hangor-class submarines significantly enhance Pakistan’s deterrent posture, complicate India’s maritime strategy and contribute to China’s broader Indo-Pacific ambitions,” Odgaard said.
Pakistan currently operates five conventional attack submarines imported from France, while India has nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, including INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, which can stay submerged longer and operate at higher speeds.
Jagannath Panda of the Stockholm-based Institute for Security and Development Policy said the Hangor-class fleet would “thicken” Pakistan’s sea-denying posture in the northern Arabian Sea and increase the cost of Indian anti-submarine operations.
The submarines’ Type 039A design allows for air-independent propulsion, allowing them to remain submerged for up to three weeks, with around 60 days of total mission time. Odgaard noted that their torpedo tubes can fire anti-ship and submarine-launched cruise missiles, potentially giving Pakistan a second-strike nuclear capability.
Delivery delays have been linked to Germany’s refusal to export MTU396 engines due to an EU arms embargo, forcing China to develop the CHD620 engine. Odgaard said this signaled that China had “largely resolved” supply chain constraints and could circumvent Western technology dependence.
However, experts warn that the CHD620 engine has yet to prove itself in operational conditions, especially in terms of noise and stealth performance, although the submarines are expected to offer reasonable capabilities at a lower price than Western models.
According to a 2015 agreement, Pakistan is to receive eight Hangor-class submarines, four from China and four produced locally under technology transfer arrangements. The US$5 billion contract is Beijing’s largest arms export deal to date.
