New Delhi: The naval competition in the Indian Ocean Region is entering a more consequential phase, with Pakistan beginning the induction of Chinese-built Hangor-class submarines while India continues to expand its fleet of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs).
The developments highlight a growing emphasis on undersea warfare, strategic deterrence and maritime surveillance in the Arabian Sea and wider Indian Ocean.
Pakistan’s Hangor-Class Submarines
Pakistan commissioned the first Hangor-class submarine, PNS Hangor, in China on April 30, 2026. The vessel is the first of eight submarines being acquired under a major China-Pakistan naval cooperation programme. Four submarines are being built in China, while the remaining four are being constructed at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works under a technology-transfer arrangement.
The Hangor class is a diesel-electric attack submarine equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP). AIP enables a conventional submarine to remain submerged for considerably longer periods without frequently surfacing or using its diesel engines, improving its ability to conduct covert patrols.
The submarines are based on China’s S26/Type 039A family of designs and are expected to feature modern sensors and weapons systems. Publicly available assessments indicate that the class is intended primarily for anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, with heavyweight torpedoes and anti-ship missiles forming part of its expected weapon fit. Some details of the weapon systems remain classified.
For Pakistan, the Hangor programme represents a significant effort to modernise its underwater fleet and strengthen its ability to operate in the Arabian Sea. The programme also deepens the longstanding China-Pakistan defence relationship.
India’s Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarines
On the other side of the strategic equation, India is developing a sea-based nuclear deterrent centred on its Arihant-class SSBNs.
An SSBN is fundamentally different from a conventional attack submarine such as the Hangor. It is nuclear-powered and designed to carry submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). Its principal strategic role is to provide a survivable second-strike capability—ensuring that a country retains the ability to retaliate even if its land-based nuclear forces are attacked.
India’s SSBN programme has produced INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, while the larger and more capable next-generation boats are being developed under the country’s strategic submarine programme. The third Arihant-class boat, INS Aridhaman, is a larger vessel of around 7,000 tonnes and is part of India’s effort to strengthen its sea-based nuclear deterrent.
India’s growing SSBN capability is particularly significant because it adds greater survivability and strategic depth to the country’s nuclear triad. Unlike conventional submarines, SSBNs are primarily strategic deterrence platforms rather than vessels intended for routine anti-ship operations.
Why the Indian Ocean Is Becoming More Competitive
The current naval competition has deeper roots. India has traditionally regarded the Indian Ocean as a vital strategic and economic space, given its geography and dependence on maritime routes for trade and energy.
At the same time, China’s expanding naval presence has changed the strategic environment. Beijing has increased its naval deployments in the Indian Ocean and developed stronger maritime relationships with countries in the region. China’s growing presence around key maritime routes and its relationships with countries such as Pakistan have been closely watched by New Delhi.
China-Pakistan maritime cooperation has also expanded over the past two decades, creating a significant strategic dimension to the competition. Pakistan’s acquisition of Chinese submarines adds another layer to this relationship.
For India, the challenge is therefore not limited to Pakistan. It involves monitoring China’s naval activity, protecting vital sea lanes, maintaining maritime domain awareness and ensuring that hostile or potentially hostile submarines cannot operate undetected close to India’s maritime approaches.
Conventional Submarines vs SSBNs: Two Different Roles
It is important to distinguish between the two developments.
| Pakistan’s Hangor-class | India’s SSBNs |
|---|---|
| Conventional diesel-electric submarine | Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine |
| Equipped with AIP | Powered by a nuclear reactor |
| Primarily tactical/operational warfare role | Strategic nuclear deterrence role |
| Designed for covert maritime operations | Designed for survivable second-strike capability |
| Can employ torpedoes and anti-ship weapons | Carries submarine-launched ballistic missiles |
| Focused largely on regional maritime warfare | Part of India’s nuclear triad |
This means the induction of Hangor submarines does not represent a direct equivalent to India’s SSBN programme. Rather, the two developments demonstrate how different layers of undersea capability are expanding simultaneously.
The Larger Strategic Picture
The Indian Ocean is increasingly becoming an arena where submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, surface combatants, satellites, underwater sensors and naval bases are all part of a wider contest for maritime awareness and strategic advantage.
India is simultaneously strengthening its anti-submarine warfare capabilities. In July 2026, the Indian Navy commissioned INS Malvan, a Mahe-class anti-submarine warfare shallow-water craft, as part of efforts to strengthen its ability to detect and counter underwater threats.
Meanwhile, the broader regional picture is also being shaped by China’s expanding submarine and SSBN capabilities. China’s own sea-based nuclear deterrent is becoming more sophisticated, adding another strategic dimension to the Indian Ocean security environment.
A New Undersea Balance
The emerging picture is therefore more complex than a simple India-Pakistan naval rivalry. Pakistan’s Hangor-class programme strengthens its conventional underwater warfare capability, while India’s Arihant programme is aimed at securing a survivable nuclear deterrent. At the same time, China’s expanding naval footprint is influencing the strategic calculations of both South Asian powers.
The result is a multi-layered naval competition in the Indian Ocean, where control of information beneath the surface may be almost as important as control of the waters themselves.