- Pakistan’s new Hangor submarine successfully fired anti-ship missile.
- Derived from China, test follows recent India-Pakistan naval collision.
- India’s P75(I) submarine program still awaits contract finalization.
Pakistan’s newly inducted PNS Hangor submarine has successfully carried out its first live weapon firing in the North Arabian Sea, launching an anti-ship cruise missile at a designated long-range target, according to the country’s military media wing.
The missile test marks the first publicly disclosed live firing by the lead submarine of Pakistan’s new Hangor class. Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf witnessed the exercise, which the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) described as a demonstration of the submarine’s operational readiness and combat capability.
The development comes at a sensitive time in the Arabian Sea, with India and Pakistan recently involved in a naval collision and the Indian Navy beginning its three-day Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi on Tuesday. The conference will review operational preparedness and maritime security, including challenges linked to the ongoing conflicts in West Asia.
China’s Yuan-Class Technology Behind Pakistan’s Hangor
Pakistan signed a deal with China in 2015 for eight Hangor-class submarines. Four are being built in China, while the remaining four are being constructed at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works with Chinese assistance under a technology-transfer arrangement. PNS Hangor was commissioned in China in April 2026 and arrived at Karachi in June before entering Pakistan Navy service.
The submarine is derived from China’s Type 039A/B Yuan-class family and is equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP), along with modern combat systems and sensors. AIP allows a conventional diesel-electric submarine to remain submerged for longer periods without having to surface or snorkel as frequently, improving its ability to operate covertly underwater.
The Pakistan Navy said the successful firing demonstrated PNS Hangor’s ability to engage a long-range target with an anti-ship cruise missile. The navy plans to operate eight submarines of the Hangor class, making the programme a significant addition to Pakistan’s underwater fleet.
Arabian Sea Tensions Put Submarine Capabilities Under Spotlight
The missile test comes less than two weeks after a collision between Pakistan Navy vessel PNS Hunain and Indian Navy destroyer INS Kolkata in the North Arabian Sea on September 15. India and Pakistan have given different accounts of the incident. New Delhi said the Pakistani vessel acted in an unacceptable and unprofessional manner, while Pakistan blamed an Indian naval vessel’s manoeuvres.
India subsequently summoned Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires and lodged a protest over the incident. The episode has added another point of tension at sea as both countries maintain naval deployments in the Arabian Sea.
Against this backdrop, the Indian Navy’s senior commanders are meeting in New Delhi from September 29 to October 1 for the second biannual Commanders’ Conference of 2026. The forum is examining operational preparedness, maritime security and India’s maritime interests, including energy security amid the conflicts in West Asia.
India’s P75(I) Submarine Programme Still Awaits Finalisation
The development also puts the spotlight on India’s Project 75(I), the programme for six next-generation conventional submarines with AIP capability. The project has been under consideration for years, with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) and Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) entering contract negotiations in September 2025.
Under the proposed arrangement, the six German-designed submarines are to be built in India with MDL and involve technology transfer. By June 2026, negotiations with Germany had entered their final phase, with the remaining process centred on the technology-transfer package and other approvals before the contract can be concluded.
The contrast is significant in terms of timing. Pakistan has already inducted the first of its eight Hangor-class submarines and has now publicly demonstrated its missile-firing capability, while India’s P75(I) programme is still awaiting final approval and contract conclusion.
