Pakistan set to deploy first Chinese-built submarine in 2026 under $5 billion deal

Pakistan’s Navy expects its first Chinese-designed submarine to enter active service next year, marking a key milestone in a $5 billion arms agreement aimed at strengthening Islamabad’s maritime power and deepening defense ties with Beijing.

Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Pakistan’s naval chief, told China’s Global Times that progress on the delivery of eight Hangor-class diesel-electric attack submarines by 2028 is “proceeding smoothly.” He said the new fleet will significantly enhance Pakistan’s ability to patrol the North Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean.

The defense deal, one of the largest in Pakistan’s history, will see four submarines built in China and the remaining four assembled domestically, a move designed to boost Pakistan’s technical and industrial capabilities. Three of the vessels have already been launched into China’s Yangtze River from a shipyard in Hubei province, Reuters reported.

“Chinese-origin platforms and equipment have proven reliable, technologically advanced, and well-suited to Pakistan Navy’s operational requirements,” Admiral Ashraf said. He added that the Navy is increasingly focused on adopting emerging technologies such as unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and electronic warfare — areas where Pakistan is exploring expanded cooperation with China.

Pakistan remains China’s top arms customer. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Islamabad accounted for more than 60% of Beijing’s total weapons exports between 2020 and 2024.

The submarine announcement follows a tense military encounter earlier this year, when Pakistan’s air force used Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets to shoot down an Indian Air Force Rafale, a French-built aircraft. The incident reignited debate over the balance of military technology between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Beyond defense, the partnership is part of China’s broader strategic and economic ambitions in the region. Through the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) — a 3,000-kilometre network linking China’s Xinjiang province to Pakistan’s deep-sea port of Gwadar — Beijing aims to secure a direct route for Middle Eastern energy imports, bypassing the vulnerable Straits of Malacca.

The initiative extends China’s influence across South and Central Asia, including toward Afghanistan and Iran, while reinforcing its position in the Indian Ocean region — a sphere where India, with its mix of nuclear-powered and conventional submarines, has long maintained dominance.

“This cooperation goes beyond hardware,” Ashraf said. “It reflects a shared strategic outlook, mutual trust, and a long-standing partnership. In the coming decade, we expect this relationship to grow through enhanced training, interoperability, research, and industrial collaboration.”