China has delivered the third of the eight new “advanced” Hangor-class submarines to Pakistan as part of Beijing’s efforts to upgrade Islamabad’s naval strength to support its growing presence in the Indian Ocean, India’s backyard. The launching ceremony of the third Hangor-class submarine was held in Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei province, on Thursday, the state-run Global Times reported on Saturday.
The second of the eight submarines China is building for Pakistan was handed over in March this year.
This is in addition to four modern naval frigates that China supplied to Pakistan in the last few years as part of its efforts to boost Pakistan’s naval strength.
Speaking at the launch of the third submarine, Pakistan’s Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Project-2 Vice Admiral Abdul Samad said the Hangor-class submarine’s cutting-edge weaponry and advanced sensors would be instrumental in sustaining regional power equilibrium and ensuring maritime stability, the daily quoted a Pakistan defence statement as saying.
