What happened
Chinese authorities formally handed over the first Hangor-class submarine, PNS/M Hangor, to the Pakistan Navy, with the commissioning ceremony held at Sanya in China, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement reported on 1 May 2026.
President Asif Ali Zardari attended as chief guest, and Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of the Naval Staff, was also present, the statement said. Senior officials from the Pakistan Navy and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy attended the ceremony.
President Zardari described the commissioning as a historic milestone in the Pakistan Navy’s modernisation, affirming the country’s resolve to maintain a robust, balanced and credible defence posture. He said Pakistan was fully capable of defending its sovereignty, protecting its maritime interests and securing its economic lifelines.
Why it matters
The Naval Chief said disruptions at critical maritime choke points increasingly threaten global trade and energy security, and that maintaining a stable, rule-based maritime order requires technologically advanced naval forces. He said the Hangor-class submarines, armed with modern weapons, advanced sensors and air-independent propulsion, would be central to preserving maritime order and stability in the region.
According to the statement, the submarines are intended to deter aggression and protect sea lines of communication across the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean. The Naval Chief noted that the Hangor name carries historical weight: in 1971, an earlier submarine of the same name became the first submarine since World War II to sink a warship.
The prime minister and Chief of Army Staff and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Field Marshal Asim Munir congratulated the nation and the Pakistan Navy on the milestone. The statement described the handover as another chapter in the Pakistan-China defence relationship.
What is still uncertain
The ISPR account did not say how many Hangor-class submarines have been ordered or when the remaining boats are expected to be delivered. It also did not disclose the cost of the programme or give a timeline for when PNS/M Hangor would arrive in Pakistan and enter operational service.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a synthesis of published material, not eyewitness reporting. Sources were reviewed on 2026-05-01.
- Primary source — The Nation: “Pakistan Navy commissions first Hangor-class submarine in China”1 May 2026 · Reports the ISPR statement on the handover of PNS/M Hangor at Sanya, the attendees, and the remarks of President Zardari and the Naval Chief.
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