KARACHI: Pakistan on Friday launched its third Hangor-class submarine in China, the navy said in a statement, in the latest sign of the country’s growing military ties with Beijing.
The launch comes months after Pakistan’s brief but intense military standoff with India, which saw the two nuclear-armed neighbors exchange air, missile, drone and artillery attacks.
In recent years, Islamabad has strengthened its defence collaboration with China, inducting state-of-the-art Chinese hardware across all three services, including Z-10ME attack helicopters earlier this month and JF-17 fighter jets jointly developed with Beijing.
The navy said the new vessel, equipped with modern sensors and weapons, will enhance its capabilities to safeguard national interests and contribute to a “secure and cooperative maritime environment.”
“Their cutting-edge weaponry and advanced sensors would be instrumental in sustaining regional power equilibrium and ensuring maritime stability,” Vice Admiral Abdul Samad, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Project-2, said at the launch ceremony in Wuhan, according to a navy statement.
The launch took place at Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group’s Shuangliu Base and was attended by senior officials from both Pakistan and China, including representatives of China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Company Ltd (CSOC).
Samad commended the steady progress of the project, praised the work of Chinese shipbuilders and said the Hangor-class program would “bring a fresh dimension” to Pakistan-China naval cooperation.
The submarines are a new generation of diesel-electric attack vessels and equipped with advanced sensors and modern weapon systems to strengthen the country’s underwater warfare capabilities.
Pakistan signed a contract with CSOC to acquire eight Hangor-class submarines. Four are being built in China, while the remaining four will be produced in Pakistan at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works Limited under a transfer-of-technology program.
The first two submarines in the series were launched in 2024, with deliveries expected over the next several years.
