Pakistan’s decision to deploy its new China-built Hangor-class submarine in the Bay of Bengal marks a striking development in South Asian naval dynamics, reported India Today.

The arrival of PNS Hangor in Karachi has revived memories of the 1971 war, when its predecessor sank India’s INS Khukri, though Pakistan ultimately suffered a crushing defeat and lost its eastern wing, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.

For over five decades, Pakistan’s naval presence remained confined to the Arabian Sea, but senior officers now openly speak of projecting power into the Bay of Bengal, a theatre where India has long enjoyed dominance.

The Hangor-class submarine, commissioned in China in April and escorted home via Sri Lanka, is the first of eight such vessels planned for induction. Commodore Omer Farooq described the submarine as a “game changer” that could allow Pakistan to maintain a presence in the Bay of Bengal.

This ambition is significant because the region hosts India’s Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam, is close to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and serves as a vital hub for trade and energy flows between India and Bangladesh. The Bay of Bengal has also become a focal point of Indo-Pacific competition, with littoral states including Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka adding to its geopolitical weight.

Pakistan’s naval modernisation effort is centred on these Hangor-class submarines, which are equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion technology, enabling them to remain submerged for extended periods and making them harder to detect.

Analysts believe the class could eventually serve as a platform for Pakistan’s sea-based nuclear capability, though Islamabad has not confirmed this. The revival of the Hangor name underscores the symbolic value attached to its legacy, even as the strategic environment today is vastly different, with India operating nuclear-powered submarines, aircraft carriers, and long-range surveillance assets.

The timing of Pakistan’s ambition coincides with improving ties with Bangladesh. Since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government in 2024, Islamabad has made significant inroads in Dhaka.

Direct flights between Karachi and Dhaka have resumed, cultural exchanges have flourished, and bilateral trade has surged. Military cooperation has deepened, with Bangladesh expressing interest in acquiring JF-17 fighter jets and participating in joint maritime exercises.

In November 2025, Pakistan Navy frigate PNS Saif docked in Chattogram, marking the first visit by a Pakistani warship to Bangladesh since 1971. Reports suggest Dhaka and Islamabad are negotiating a mutual defence agreement, though no formal hosting of Pakistani assets has been announced.

These developments raise the possibility of Pakistani naval assets operating more frequently in the eastern Indian Ocean. While Bangladesh under Tarique Rahman has also strengthened ties with India, the warming of Dhaka-Islamabad relations introduces new complexities.

Pakistan’s presence in the Bay of Bengal, even if limited, could be viewed as an irritant by India, which considers the region its strategic front yard. India’s expanding capabilities around the Andaman and Nicobar Islands further highlight the competitive environment.

Pakistan’s naval expansion reflects its desire to move beyond coastal defence and establish a wider operational footprint in the Indian Ocean. The induction of eight Hangor-class submarines represents its largest naval modernisation in decades.

Although Pakistan may not alter the balance of power in the Bay of Bengal, its ambitions signal a shift in regional dynamics, with implications for India, Bangladesh, and the broader Indo-Pacific.

Agencies