On 15 August 2025, <a title="China" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/international/wang-yi-to-visit-india-for-boundary-talks/17942" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China</a> delivered the third Hangor-class submarine to <a title="Pakistan" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/business/trump-sharif-seal-new-trade-pact/17250" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pakistan&rsquo;s</a> Navy, marking another milestone in Beijing&rsquo;s defence outreach to Islamabad. The submarine, named PNS/M Mangro, was launched in Wuhan, under the broader 2015 deal to supply eight diesel-electric Hangor-class submarines, with four built in China and four in Karachi under a technology transfer programme.
The Hangor-class, derived from China&rsquo;s Type 039B Yuan-class design, carries modern sensors, torpedoes, and anti-ship missiles, and is speculated to support the Babur-3 nuclear-capable submarine-launched cruise missile. Its Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system extends underwater endurance, enhancing Pakistan&rsquo;s ability to operate in contested waters of the Arabian Sea.
Yet, in comparative terms, Pakistan&rsquo;s undersea fleet remains modest. With three Hangor submarines in service, Pakistan&rsquo;s overall naval firepower is still eclipsed by <a title="India Air Defence" href="https://www.benefitnews24.com/defence/india-s-2035-security-shield-ambition/17875" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s</a> 19-strong submarine fleet&mdash;including 16 conventional boats, two nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), and a leased nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN). India&rsquo;s indigenous Kalvari-class submarines, built under Project-75 with French collaboration, are considered superior in stealth, sonar systems, and weaponry.
<h3 data-start="1700" data-end="1747">Hangor vs Kalvari: A Comparative Edge</h3>
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Stealth: Kalvari-class submarines use advanced acoustic absorption, making them harder to detect.
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Weapons &amp; Sensors: Kalvari deploys Exocet missiles and Black Shark torpedoes, with advanced sonar suites surpassing Hangor capabilities.
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AIP: While Hangor currently fields AIP, India is developing its own system and already possesses nuclear-powered submarines with virtually unlimited endurance.
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Maritime Domain Awareness: India&rsquo;s extensive anti-submarine warfare (ASW) network, satellite surveillance, and intelligence-sharing mechanisms provide a strategic edge in tracking Hangor submarines.
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ALSO READ: https://www.benefitnews24.com/defence/us-deploys-dark-eagle-to-deter-china-russia/17534
<h3 data-start="2379" data-end="2406">Strategic Picture</h3>
China&rsquo;s delivery of Hangor submarines to Pakistan is more than a bilateral defence transaction. It fits Beijing&rsquo;s strategy of expanding influence across the Indian Ocean&mdash;through Pakistan&rsquo;s Gwadar port, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives. While these submarines upgrade Pakistan&rsquo;s naval capabilities, they are unlikely to tilt the balance against India&rsquo;s established dominance in undersea warfare.
Even with all eight Hangor submarines operational by 2028, Pakistan will still lag behind India&rsquo;s combination of conventional stealth, nuclear deterrence, and maritime surveillance. For New Delhi, the development underscores the importance of accelerating indigenous projects such as Project-75I and the deployment of Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems to maintain its qualitative edge.

Hangor-class submarine flying Pakistan’s naval flag during handover ceremony

China boosts Pakistan’s navy with Hangor subs, but India’s Kalvari still dominates

Pakistan’s Hangor vs India’s Kalvari Edge

China boosts Pakistan’s navy with Hangor subs, but India’s Kalvari still dominates

August 17, 2025 | 03:13 IST