China hands over third Hangor-class submarine to Pakistan

China has delivered the third of the eight new “advanced” Hangor-class submarines to Pakistan as part of Beijing’s efforts to upgrade Islamabad’s naval strength to support its growing presence in the Indian Ocean, India’s backyard.

The launching ceremony of the third Hangor-class submarine was held in Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei province, on Thursday, the state-run Global Times reported on Saturday.

The second of the eight submarines China is building for Pakistan was handed over in March this year.

This is in addition to four modern naval frigates that China supplied to Pakistan in the last few years as part of its efforts to boost Pakistan’s naval strength amid the Chinese navy’s steady expansion in the Arabian Sea, where it is developing the Gwadar port in Balochistan, as well as in the Indian Ocean.

Speaking at the launch of the third submarine, Pakistan’s Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Project-2 Vice Admiral Abdul Samad said the Hangor-class submarine’s cutting-edge weaponry and advanced sensors would be instrumental in sustaining regional power equilibrium and ensuring maritime stability, the daily quoted a Pakistan defence statement as saying.

According to a recent report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China supplied over 81 per cent of Pakistan’s military hardware.

Some of Pakistan’s key orders in the past five years include the country’s first spy ship, the Rizwan; more than 600 VT-4 battle tanks, and 36 J-10CE 4.5-generation fighters, according to the SIPRI database.

China supplied the first delivery of multi-role J-10CE fighter jets to the Pakistan Air Force in 2022, adding to its JF-17 fighters jointly manufactured by both countries. Pakistan used these fighter jets in the recent conflict with India.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that the Hangor-class submarine is characterised by its strong underwater combat capabilities, including comprehensive sensor systems, excellent stealth characteristics, high mobility, long endurance and formidable firepower.