Pakistan commissioned the first of four Chinese-built diesel-electric attack submarines, PNS Hangor, on April 30, 2026, in Sanya, China, marking the start of sustained co-production for an eight-unit fleet valued at USD 5 billion. This event underscores the robust China-Pakistan defence partnership, with China supplying 81% of Pakistan's arms imports between 2020-2024, making Pakistan Beijing's largest defence customer.
The Hangor model, involving partial Chinese manufacturing and Pakistani assembly with full technology transfer, builds on prior collaborations like the JF-17 Thunder and NORINCO VT-4 tanks. This deep interlinkage extends to joint military exercises, a Huawei-built fibre-optic cable, Pakistan's unique access to BeiDou, and Chinese assistance in quantum computing. The article posits that any future India-Pakistan conflict will be a proxy engagement utilizing Chinese military technology and tactics, as demonstrated by Pakistan's deployment of Chinese-origin systems during May 2025 hostilities. For India, the Hangor submarines, Tughril-class frigates, and Gwadar port rights enhance China's Arabian Sea presence, necessitating India to develop comprehensive defence-industrial alternatives.
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