https://arab.news/cgau3
- Deal with Beijing covers eight submarines, with half to be built in Karachi
- Zardari attends the ceremony, stresses robust defense posture for Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first Hangor-class submarine, PNS M Hangor, was commissioned in a ceremony attended by President Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf in the tropical Chinese city of Sanya, the Pakistan military said on Thursday.
Pakistan had signed an agreement with China for the acquisition of eight Hangor-class submarines, a new fleet of Chinese-built diesel-electric attack submarines, under which four submarines are being built in China, while the remaining four will be constructed in Pakistan by Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works Ltd.
These submarines are expected to play a pivotal role in deterring aggression and ensuring the security of vital Sea Lines of Communication across the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean region, according to the Pakistan military's media wing.
"President Zardari described the commissioning of HANGOR as a historic milestone in Pakistan Navy's modernization, affirming Pakistan's resolve to maintain a robust, balanced and credible defense posture," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
Zardari was quoted as saying that Pakistan was fully capable of defending its sovereignty, protecting its maritime interests and ensuring the security of its economic lifelines.
The naval chief said disruptions at key maritime choke points were threatening global trade and energy security, underscoring the need for technologically advanced navies to uphold a rules-based maritime order.
Ashraf highlighted that Hangor-class submarines equipped with state-of-the-art weapons, advanced sensors, and air-independent propulsion, will be key to preserving maritime order and regional stability.
He said the name Hangor held a significant place in Pakistan’s history, as it was the first submarine since World War II to sink a warship in 1971.
"PNS/M HANGOR will carry this illustrious legacy forward as this is an important milestone for Pakistan Navy that will bolster our maritime defense and modernize our fleet with cutting-edge technology," the ISPR added.
Islamabad has long been Beijing’s top arms customer, and over the 2020-2024 period bought over 60 percent of China’s weapons exports, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan that has pledged over $65 billion in investment in road, infrastructure and development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.