China gifts another Hangor submarine to Pakistan Navy ahead of Modi–Xi SCO Summit
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
China has also transferred four advanced naval frigates to Pakistan, underscoring its long-term plan to bolster Islamabad’s maritime strength. These moves are seen as part of Beijing’s effort to expand its naval presence in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, regions where China is simultaneously developing the Gwadar port in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
China continues to arm Pakistan. Beijing has delivered the third of eight new Hangor-class submarines to Pakistan, just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. The development highlights Beijing’s deepening strategic partnership with Islamabad, particularly in the naval domain, at a time of shifting geopolitical alignments in South Asia.
During Operation Sindoor, China provided Pakistan with live satellite imagery and intelligence regarding Indian defense units. This comes amid Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s official visit to India.
China helps strengthening Pakistan’s naval capabilities
The launching ceremony for the submarine was held in Wuhan, Hubei province, according to China’s state-run Global Times. This delivery follows the handover of the second Hangor-class submarine in March and forms part of a broader programme to supply Pakistan with eight such vessels.
In recent years, China has also transferred four advanced naval frigates to Pakistan, underscoring its long-term plan to bolster Islamabad’s maritime strength. These moves are seen as part of Beijing’s effort to expand its naval presence in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, regions where China is simultaneously developing the Gwadar port in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
Pakistan’s Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Project-2, Vice Admiral Abdul Samad, declared that the Hangor-class submarine’s “cutting-edge weaponry and advanced sensors” would play a vital role in sustaining regional power equilibrium and ensuring maritime stability, reports PTI.
Chinese military experts emphasise that the submarine is equipped with advanced stealth systems, long endurance, and significant firepower, giving Pakistan a notable boost in underwater warfare capabilities.
China is Pak’s major defence supplier
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China supplied more than 81 per cent of Pakistan’s military hardware in recent years. Major acquisitions include over 600 VT-4 battle tanks, the Rizwan spy ship, and 36 J-10CE fighter jets, alongside the jointly produced JF-17 aircraft. The J-10CEs, delivered in 2022, have already been deployed by Pakistan in conflicts with India.
This dominance underlines how dependent Pakistan has become on Chinese defence technology and weapons systems, even as Islamabad explores closer cooperation with the United States in other spheres.
Minerals, CPEC and competing powers
The timing of the submarine delivery is also significant, coming as Washington seeks greater access to Pakistan’s critical mineral resources, some located in the troubled Balochistan region. Rare earths and other critical minerals are now central to global power competition. China continues to dominate production and refining, but its recent export restrictions to the United States have shaken supply chains.
Pakistan has promised economic cooperation with Washington but remains firmly tied to Beijing through the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship Belt and Road Initiative project. The corridor, which passes through Balochistan and links Gwadar Port to western China, represents one of Beijing’s most important overseas investments.
According to experts, by delivering the submarine now, Beijing appears intent on reinforcing its hold over Pakistan, ensuring that Islamabad remains aligned with Chinese strategic interests despite overtures from the United States.
Reference Link:-https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/china-gifts-another-hangor-submarine-to-pakistan-navy-ahead-of-modixi-sco-summit/3950688/
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
