Pakistan expects first Chinese Hangor submarine in service in 2026
“The Pakistan Navy expects to commission its first Chinese-designed Hangor-class submarine in 2026, part of an eight-boat deal with China.”
Key points
- The Pakistan Navy expects to commission its first Chinese-designed Hangor-class submarine in 2026, part of an eight-boat deal with China.
- The programme includes tech transfer and local assembly to build capacity.
Pakistan expects its first Chinese-designed Hangor-class submarine to enter active service next year, the navy chief told Chinese state media, underscoring deepening defence ties with Beijing. Under a deal valued at up to $5 billion, Islamabad will receive eight submarines by 2028.
The first four diesel-electric boats are to be built in China, while the remaining units will be assembled in Pakistan to build local capacity. Three submarines have already been launched in China's Yangtze River, officials said.
Admiral Naveed Ashraf praised the reliability and suitability of Chinese platforms for Pakistan Navy requirements, and said future cooperation would expand to interoperability, training and technology sharing. The update comes alongside broader China-Pakistan connectivity projects such as CPEC, which aim to strengthen maritime and trade links to the Arabian Sea.
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