Pakistan Navy’s first Hangor-class submarine commissioned in China

SANYA: The commissioning ceremony of PNS Hangor, the first of the Pakistan Navy’s Hangor-class attack submarines, was held in China’s Sanya city, with President Asif Ali Zardari attending as chief guest during his visit to China, according to a Pakistan Navy press release.

The ceremony was also attended by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, while senior officials from the navies of Pakistan and China were present as well, the navy said.

President Zardari described the induction of Hangor as a historic step in the Pakistan Navy’s modernisation and reaffirmed the country’s determination to maintain a robust, balanced and credible defence posture. According to a statement issued by the Presidency, he said the country was fully capable of defending its sovereignty, safeguarding its maritime interests and securing its economic lifelines.

The Presidency stated that ‘The advanced submarine strengthens Pakistan’s maritime defence, protects economic lifelines and reflects strategic partnership with China’.

The Hangor-class is a diesel-electric attack submarine equipped with air-independent propulsion technology, which enables it to operate for longer distances before resurfacing.

Admiral Ashraf said disruptions at key maritime choke points were increasingly posing risks to global trade and energy security. He said preserving a stable, rule-based maritime order required technologically advanced naval forces.

Referring to the capabilities of the new class, the naval chief said the Hangor-class submarines, fitted with state-of-the-art weapons, advanced sensors and air-independent propulsion technology, would be important for maintaining maritime order and stability in the region.

He stated, ‘These submarines will play a pivotal role in deterring aggression and ensuring security of vital Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) across the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean region’.

Admiral Ashraf also recalled the historical significance of the name Hangor in Pakistan’s naval history. He referred to the 1971 Pakistan-India war, when the earlier PNS Hangor became the first submarine after World War II to sink a warship, the Indian frigate INS Khukri. After its decommissioning, that submarine was placed on display at the Pakistan Maritime Museum in Karachi.

He said, ‘PNS/M HANGOR will carry this illustrious legacy forward, as this is an important milestone for Pakistan Navy that will bolster our maritime defence and modernise our fleet with cutting-edge technology’.

In its statement, the Pakistan Navy said the commissioning of the first Hangor-class submarine marked another chapter in the longstanding and deep-rooted friendship between Pakistan and China.

The navy also said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir congratulated the nation and the Pakistan Navy on achieving what it called a historic milestone.

Submarine programme timeline

According to the Pakistan Navy, the first of the new submarines was launched in April 2024. The second, third and fourth submarines were launched on March 15, August 15 and December 17 in 2025, respectively.

The commissioning of PNS Hangor marks the latest development in the navy’s ongoing fleet modernisation programme.