President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday said that the commissioning of 1st HANGOR Class Submarine (PNS/M HANGOR) was a historic milestone in Pakistan Navy’s modernization, affirming Pakistan’s resolve to maintain a robust, balanced and credible defence posture.
The president, addressing the commissioning ceremony held here during his five-day visit to China, said that Pakistan was fully capable of defending its sovereignty, protecting its maritime interests and ensuring the security of its economic lifelines.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf, NI, NI (M), T Bt was also present at the ceremony, besides senior officials from Pakistan Navy and PLA (Navy).
The Naval Chief highlighted that disruptions at critical maritime choke points increasingly threaten global trade and energy security, and maintaining a stable, rule-based maritime order demands technologically advanced naval forces.
He said that HANGOR Class Submarines – armed with state-of-the-art weapons, advanced sensors and Air Independent Propulsion – would be key in preserving maritime order and stability in the region. These submarines will play a pivotal role in deterring aggression and ensuring security of vital Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) across the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean region, he added.
The Naval Chief reiterated that the name HANGOR held a significant place in the national history. In 1971, earlier HANGOR became the first submarine since World War II to sink a warship. PNS/M HANGOR will carry this illustrious legacy forward as this was an important milestone for Pakistan Navy that would bolster the country’s maritime defence and modernize its fleet with cutting-edge technology.
The commissioning of 1st HANGOR Class Submarine marks another chapter in the time-tested and enriching friendship between Pakistan and China.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of the Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir have congratulated the entire nation and the Pakistan Navy on achieving this historic milestone.