Pakistan’s Navy expects its first Chinese-built submarine to enter active duty in 2026, according to Admiral Naveed Ashraf, the country’s naval chief, in remarks to Chinese state media. The move strengthens Beijing’s efforts to rival India’s regional influence and extend its reach toward the Middle East. Ashraf said that the agreement to supply Pakistan with eight Hangor-class submarines by 2028 is “progressing smoothly.” The deal, valued at around US$5 billion (S$6.5 billion), will enhance Pakistan’s ability to patrol the North Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.

The update follows Pakistan’s air force reportedly using Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets in May to down an Indian Air Force Rafale jet, a French-made aircraft — an encounter that surprised many observers and reignited debate about the effectiveness of Western versus Chinese weaponry. Under the submarine deal, the first four diesel-electric submarines will be built in China, while the remaining four will be constructed in Pakistan to help develop local shipbuilding and technical expertise. Three of the vessels have already been launched into China’s Yangtze River from a shipyard in Hubei province.

Ashraf praised Chinese military technology, saying it has proven “reliable, advanced, and well-suited” for Pakistan’s naval needs. He also noted that the Navy is increasingly focusing on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, and advanced electronic warfare — areas where cooperation with China is expanding. Pakistan remains one of China’s largest defense customers, accounting for more than 60 percent of Beijing’s arms exports between 2020 and 2024, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

In addition to defense cooperation, China has invested heavily in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) — a US$60 billion project connecting China’s Xinjiang region to Pakistan’s Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea. The corridor, part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative, provides China with a strategic alternative route for Middle Eastern energy imports, bypassing the vulnerable Strait of Malacca.

CPEC also extends China’s strategic presence across Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asia while reinforcing its position around India, alongside close ties with Bangladesh and Myanmar. India, meanwhile, operates a fleet of three indigenous nuclear-powered submarines and several classes of diesel-electric ones built in collaboration with France, Germany, and Russia. Ashraf emphasized that Pakistan’s defense partnership with China extends beyond weapons procurement, describing it as a relationship rooted in “shared strategic vision, mutual trust, and long-standing cooperation.” He added that in the coming decade, the two nations aim to expand collaboration in shipbuilding, training, technology sharing, and defense research.