Pakistan commissions 1st Hangor-class attack submarine

Pakistan on Thursday commissioned the country's first Hangor-class attack submarine, marking a major step in the navy’s modernization efforts

The commissioning ceremony was held in Sanya, China, with President Asif Ali Zardari and Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf in attendance, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistan Army's media wing.

Zardari described the commissioning as "a historic milestone in the Pakistan Navy’s modernization," and affirmed the country's "resolve to maintain a robust, balanced and credible defense posture."

Pakistan is "fully capable of defending its sovereignty, protecting its maritime interests and ensuring the security of its economic lifelines," he said.

Ashraf said that as disruptions at critical maritime choke points increasingly threaten global trade and energy security, maintaining a stable, rules-based maritime order requires a technologically advanced naval force.

Hangor-class submarines are equipped with state-of-the-art weapons, advanced sensors and air independent propulsion. allowing them to operate for longer periods and cover greater distances without surfacing.

"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," Ashraf said.

In 2015, the Pakistani government signed a deal with China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company to acquire eight Hangor-class submarines, with four to be built in Pakistan under a transfer of technology program.