The Pakistan Navy will receive the first of the eight Hangor-class submarines from China in 2026, media from both nations said.
It was in 2015 that Pakistan's Ministry of Defence told a parliamentary committee of the decision to buy eight attack submarines from China "to address a force imbalance with India." The deal came into fruition after four years of negotiations with Beijing, Pak media reports had said. The agreement is reportedly worth up to $5 billion and the handover is expected to be completed within an eight-year window between 2022 and 2028.
The Hangor-class submarines belong to the diesel-electric attack class. While the first four will be built in China, the remaining are reportedly to be assembled in Pakistan in an effort to improve its technical capabilities. The news of the agreement progressing "smoothly" was shared with China's Global Times by the Chief of the Naval Staff of the Pakistan Navy, Admiral Naveed Ashraf.
Pakistan modernising its submarine fleet
China's first Hangor-class submarine was launched in April 2024, followed by two more earlier this year, the news report said. Admiral Naveed Ashraf hailed the deal as a testament to "naval equipment collaboration" between China and Pakistan. He also expressed hope that the transfer of Chinese technology will fuel skill development at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works—a major contractor for both military and commercial marine and industrial projects for Islamabad.
In an exclusive interview with the Chinese outlet, Admiral Naveed Ashraf also mentioned that the procurement of Type 054A/P frigates from China strengthened the Pakistan Navy's multi-mission capability. Thanks to the Chinese vessels, his men are now better for anti-submarine warfare and air defence, he said.
Pakistan is Beijing’s top arms customer, and over the 2020–2024 period it bought over 60 per cent of China’s weapons exports, The Dawn said citing data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. "China has been a trusted partner in the Pakistan Navy's modernisation journey," Ashraf said, adding that he was optimistic that the "friendship" between the two countries will involve research, technology sharing, and industrial collaboration in the future.