Pakistan's Hangor Subs Tighten China Link, Test India At Sea

Newman points out that cruise missiles are less frequently employed for nuclear purposes, particularly at sea, because they have lighter payloads and shorter maximum ranges than ballistic missiles.

He also adds that Pakistan arming its submarines with SLCMs could create a problem of nuclear ambiguity, as it would be difficult for India to determine whether an incoming weapon is nuclear or conventionally armed, risking escalation. As such, Newman says Pakistan is likely to deploy its new submarines in more conventional roles.

From an operational perspective, however, their impact remains limited, with Namita Barthwal noting in a January 2026 report for the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) that Pakistan's Hangor-class submarines represent an incremental capability gain rather than a decisive shift in the naval balance.

She suggests that they could progressively enhance Pakistan's capacity to maintain an underwater presence, which would complicate crises, increase the need for anti-submarine efforts, influence merchant shipping advisories and increase the cost and difficulty for India in maritime reassurance and in managing escalations during rapid crises.

She notes that replacing older boats and increasing patrol frequency could allow Pakistan to monitor Indian ships more regularly during peacetime, keep India uncertain during crises, and threaten sea routes near Indian ports and naval bases.

This strategy would be especially effective if backed by Chinese training, spare parts, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and lifecycle support.

The operational role of the Hangor-class submarines is to enhance Pakistan's underwater deterrence and support a sea-denial approach to offset India's larger and more capable naval forces in the Indian Ocean.

Situating Pakistan's submarines within the country's broader operational strategy, Saad Riaz notes in a January 2026 article for the Center for Strategic and Contemporary Research (CSCR) that acquiring Hangor-class submarines is significant for deterring India's expanding naval footprint and growing sub-surface capabilities in the Indian Ocean region.

Taken together, these assessments point to a strategy centered on offsetting structural naval disadvantages rather than achieving parity.

Looking at the military balance at sea between the two rivals, Rajeswari Rajagopalan and Linus Cohen note in a June 2025 repor t for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) that India has consistently had greater conventional military strength than Pakistan across major equipment categories.

They also indicate that India has two aircraft carriers and two nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), which Pakistan does not possess.

In that context, M. Usman Askari and Mudassar Ali Iqbal note in a June 2023 article in the peer-reviewed South Asian Studies journal that, as a navy with limited resources and a smaller fleet, Pakistan cannot match India's superior conventional capabilities, necessitating a focus on alternative approaches.

Askari and Iqbal emphasize an asymmetric approach, using unconventional tactics and weapons - including submarines and coastal defense systems - to offset India's larger fleet, alongside a“sea denial” doctrine aimed at restricting India's use of surrounding waters and limiting its operational advantage.

The strategic significance of the Hangor-class program lies in its integration within a deepening Pakistan–China defense partnership, characterized by extensive arms transfers, interoperability and coordinated military alignment aimed at counterbalancing India.

Khalil Ahmad, in a January 2026 article in the peer-reviewed Advance Social Science Archive journal, notes that China has emerged as Pakistan's primary arms supplier, providing advanced military systems that underpin its defense capabilities and reinforce bilateral military ties.