The recent arrival of Pakistan’s first Hangor-class submarine in Karachi is more than just a routine naval induction. It marks the beginning of a new phase in South Asian undersea competition, one where Pakistan is no longer limiting itself to the Arabian Sea. With reports emerging of plans for a sustained presence in the Bay of Bengal, a theatre where Pakistan has not operated since 1971, the strategic implications are widening.
These submarines, built with Chinese assistance and equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP), give Islamabad a longer reach and greater stealth than ever before. For India, this is not an immediate crisis but a slow shift in the maritime balance that demands constant attention.
