New Delhi: In a strategic shift that could raise maritime alarms in New Delhi, the Pakistan Navy is planning to deploy its newly acquired Chinese built Hangor class attack submarines to the Bay of Bengal. The ambitious move marks the first time since Pakistan crushing defeat in the 1971 war that Islamabad is attempting to establish a permanent naval footprint in a maritime region traditionally dominated by India.
The strategic intent was made public by Commodore Omer Farooq, the commander of the flotilla escorting the new vessel home. Speaking at an event onboard the Pakistani frigate PNS Taimur at the Colombo Port in Sri Lanka, Farooq revealed that the induction of the Hangor class platforms would provide Islamabad with the logistical reach to maintain an active presence in the Bay of Bengal. The announcement comes just a week after the first submarine of this class arrived at the naval dockyard in Karachi on June 11, 2026.
This unfolding maritime ambition coincides with a notable warming of civilian and military ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh, alongside a broader naval competition across the Indian Ocean Region. Historically, the Pakistan Navy footprint in the Bay of Bengal was completely wiped out following its defeat in 1971 and the subsequent creation of Bangladesh, forcing Islamabad to confine its underwater operations mostly to the Northern Arabian Sea.
The deployment plan targets a sensitive theater where India possesses massive geographical and strategic advantages. The Bay of Bengal houses India Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam and is heavily monitored via the strategic military outposts in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Furthermore, these waters serve as crucial energy and goods transit routes connecting India with neighboring littoral states.
The introduction of the new vessels represents a significant upgrade in underwater warfare capability. Under a massive four to five billion dollar defense deal signed with Beijing, Pakistan will induct a total of eight Hangor class submarines. Four vessels are being constructed in China while the remaining four will be assembled locally at the Karachi Shipyard under a technology transfer agreement.
Equipped with advanced Stirling cycle Air Independent Propulsion technology, these diesel electric submarines can remain submerged for extended periods without needing to surface frequently to recharge their batteries, substantially enhancing their stealth profile. While naval experts believe that the deployment might not completely alter the regional balance of power, the persistent presence of Chinese backed Pakistani assets in the Bay of Bengal is bound to act as a persistent irritant for Indian security planners.