Pakistan’s first Chinese submarine set to boost naval capability

NEW DELHI — Pakistan has commissioned the first of eight advanced Chinese submarines, marking a significant step in strengthening its maritime capabilities and deepening defense cooperation with its close ally Beijing.

A ceremony to commission the attack submarine called Hangor was held in the Chinese city of Sanya on April 30 in the presence of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and navy chief Naveed Ashraf as well as senior Chinese military officials, according to a Pakistani statement. Sanya, a port city, hosts a major submarine base of the People’s Liberation Army.

The diesel-electric Hangor-class submarine is an export variant of China’s 039A Yuan-class submarines. It has a displacement of approximately 2,800 tons. Armed with advanced sensors, torpedoes and anti-ship cruise missiles that can strike surface warships, submarines and land-based facilities, these Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) conventional boats aim to enhance the Pakistan navy’s undersea warfare capability. The AIP submarines can remain under water significantly longer without needing to surface.

The deal for the eight Chinese submarines, struck in 2015, is estimated at $5 billion. Four boats are being built in China and the remaining four will be built in Pakistan under a technology-transfer agreement. All four Chinese-built boats are scheduled to be inducted by 2028.

Pakistani President Zardari described the commissioning of the first Chinese attack submarine as a “historic milestone” in the South Asian country’s naval modernization. Until now, Islamabad operates a fleet of eight submarines including three mini ones.

Pakistan’s navy chief Naveed Ashraf said that the Hangor submarines, equipped with state of the art weapons “will play a pivotal role in deterring aggression and ensuring security of vital sea lines of communication across the Arabian Sea and wider Indian Ocean region.”

India, Pakistan’s main rival, is also upgrading its submarine fleet as the Indian Ocean, a vital global sea lane, becomes a strategic domain where China is increasing its influence — Beijing’s close partnership with Islamabad helps it gain access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. New Delhi is expected to seal a deal with Germany to buy six AIP submarines in the coming months.

China’s defense supplies are playing a key role in Pakistan’s military build-up and modernization, as both countries nurture a close partnership with an eye on India, with which both have fought wars triggered by long-standing border disputes.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s global arms transfer database, China supplied approximately 80% of Pakistan’s arms imports between 2021 and 2025. Pakistan also serves as Beijing’s top arms customer, buying as much as 60% of its defense exports.

Chinese weapons also boosting Pakistan’s aerial capabilities — the Chinese J-10C and the JF-17, which is jointly made by China and Pakistan, are the main combat jets in the Pakistan air force. These jets were combat-tested for the first time during a four-day conflict between India and Pakistan last year. Pakistan claimed that it had shot down Indian fighter jets including Rafale aircraft with the J-10. Both India and Dassault Aviation, the French company which manufactures the jets, denied the claim.

新德里——巴基斯坦接收了中国制造的八艘先进潜艇中的第一艘，这标志着巴基斯坦在加强海上能力和深化与亲密盟友北京的防务合作方面迈出了重要一步。

据巴基斯坦方面发表的声明，4月30日，在巴基斯坦总统阿西夫·阿里·扎尔达里、海军参谋长纳维德·阿什拉夫以及中国高级军官的见证下，中国三亚市举行了名为“汉戈尔”号的攻击型潜艇的服役仪式。三亚是一座港口城市，也是中国人民解放军重要的潜艇基地所在地。

柴电动力的汉戈尔级潜艇是中国039A型元级潜艇的出口改进型，排水量约为2800吨。该级潜艇配备先进传感器、鱼雷和反舰巡航导弹，能够打击水面舰艇、潜艇和陆基设施。这些采用不依赖空气推进（AIP）技术的常规潜艇旨在提升巴基斯坦海军的水下作战能力。AIP潜艇无需浮出水面即可在水下停留更长时间。

2015年达成的八艘中国潜艇采购协议，总价值估计为50亿美元。其中四艘在中国建造，其余四艘将根据技术转让协议在巴基斯坦建造。所有四艘中国建造的潜艇计划于2028年全部交付使用。

巴基斯坦总统扎尔达里称中国首艘攻击型潜艇的服役是该国海军现代化进程中的“历史性里程碑”。此前，伊斯兰堡拥有八艘潜艇，其中包括三艘小型潜艇。

巴基斯坦海军司令纳维德·阿什拉夫表示，配备最先进武器的“汉戈尔”级潜艇“将在遏制侵略和确保阿拉伯海及更广泛的印度洋地区重要海上交通线的安全方面发挥关键作用”。

印度是巴基斯坦的主要竞争对手，随着印度洋——这条重要的全球海上航道——日益成为中国影响力不断增强的战略要地，印度也在升级其潜艇舰队。北京与伊斯兰堡的紧密合作使其得以进入阿拉伯海和印度洋。预计新德里将在未来几个月内与德国达成协议，购买六艘AIP潜艇。

中国的国防物资在巴基斯坦的军事建设和现代化进程中发挥着关键作用，因为两国都着眼于印度，并在此基础上发展出密切的伙伴关系。两国都曾因长期存在的边界争端而与印度发生战争。

根据斯德哥尔摩国际和平研究所的全球武器转让数据库，2021年至2025年间，中国供应了巴基斯坦约80%的武器进口。巴基斯坦也是北京最大的武器客户，购买了其国防出口的60%之多。

中国武器也在提升巴基斯坦的空中作战能力——中国歼-10C和中巴联合研制的JF-17是巴基斯坦空军的主力战机。这些战机在去年印巴之间为期四天的冲突中首次投入实战。巴基斯坦声称其使用歼-10击落了包括“阵风”战斗机在内的多架印度战机。印度和制造这些战机的法国达索航空公司均否认了这一说法。