Pakistan Takes Delivery of Chinese Hangor Sub
SkimNews Take
The technology transfer for domestic production of the Hangor-class submarines suggests China's strategy extends beyond direct sales to fostering long-term, self-sufficient defense capabilities in partner nations.
Get the Geopolitics newsletter
Daily geopolitics — wars, elections, sanctions, the diplomatic moves that move markets. Free.
- Pakistan commissioned its first Chinese‑built Hangor‑class submarine, PNS/M Hangor, in Sanya in 2026, with President Asif Ali Zardari and Navy Chief Naveed Ashraf present.
- China will deliver four Hangor‑class submarines and transfer technology for four more built in Pakistan, completing an eight‑submarine fleet.
- Nuclear Threat Initiative notes the Hangor class carries 53‑mm torpedo tubes capable of firing Chinese Yu‑6 heavy torpedoes and anti‑ship cruise missiles.
- Stimson Center analyst Betzalel Newman says Pakistan’s Babur‑3 submarine‑launched cruise missile lacks the range and payload for a credible sea‑based nuclear deterrent, steering the Hangor toward conventional missions.
- India is coping with fuel‑import disruptions as 22 energy cargo ships are delayed, heightening the strategic impact of Pakistan’s new subs on regional maritime security.
Why it matters: Pakistan gains a modern eight‑submarine fleet, strengthening its deterrence and bargaining power, while India loses strategic maritime advantage as its sea lines face heightened Chinese‑backed Pakistani capabilities, raising the risk of naval escalation.
