For the first time since the 1971 war, Pakistan has signalled that it is looking to have a sustained naval presence in the Bay of Bengal with PNS Hangor, a technologically advanced submarine that analysts say will allow Islamabad to operate far east of its traditional waters.
The announcement, made by Commodore Omer Farooq in Colombo while escorting the Hangor home, marks a notable shift in Pakistan's maritime posture and comes amid rapidly warming ties with Bangladesh.
Advanced Submarine Capabilities
Built in China and equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP), the Hangor gives Pakistan a stealthier, longer-endurance conventional submarine capability. AIP allows non-nuclear boats to remain submerged for weeks without surfacing, reducing detectability and improving survivability during extended patrols. Pakistan plans a class of eight such submarines, a fleet expansion that would materially enhance its ability to maintain a forward presence in the eastern Indian Ocean.
Warming Ties with Bangladesh
The timing is significant. Since Sheikh Hasina's ouster by Islamist forces in 2024, Islamabad and Dhaka have steadily repaired ties that were frayed after the 1971 Liberation War. Under Bangladesh interim leader Muhammad Yunus, high-level visits, resumed direct flights, expanding trade, and growing defence contacts created a new strategic environment. Pakistani warships made a historic port call to Chattogram in November 2025 — the first since 1971 — and bilateral military exchanges have intensified: air force discussions, naval diplomacy, joint exercises such as Aman-25, and negotiations reportedly underway on a mutual defence pact.
These developments have practical implications for Pakistan's access and logistics. Direct sea and air links to Bangladesh, visa relaxations, and port allowances at Mongla and Chattogram lower barriers to forward operations, even if Dhaka has not publicly agreed to host Pakistan's submarines. For Islamabad, a friendly Dhaka offers diplomatic cover and potential facilities that could support periodic patrols or port visits in the Bay of Bengal, a maritime theatre long dominated by regional powers.
Regional Naval Competition
The emergence of Hangor and Pakistan's outreach to Bangladesh unfold against a backdrop of growing naval competition across the Indian Ocean Region. Whether Pakistan's Hangor fleet will translate into a permanent, routine presence in the Bay of Bengal remains uncertain, but the vessel's induction — and the thaw with Dhaka — have opened the door to a strategic revival of Pakistan's eastern maritime footprint for the first time in over five decades.
Significance of the Name Hangor
The name PNS Hangor carries sharp significance for India because it commemorates the original Pakistani submarine that sank India's INS Khukri on 9 December 1971 — India's only wartime naval ship loss and its costliest naval defeat. By naming its new AIP-equipped China-built submarine PNS Hangor, Pakistan invokes that legacy while signaling renewed underwater capability aimed at regions like the Bay of Bengal, where India now faces heightened strategic pressure.
