The name Hangor carries considerable historical significance in South Asia's naval history. During the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the Pakistani submarine PNS Hangor sank the Indian warship INS Khukri, marking the first time since Independence that an Indian naval vessel was lost in combat. The attack remains one of the most celebrated achievements in the history of the Pakistan Navy.
Yet, despite the tactical success, the sinking of INS Khukri had little impact on the broader outcome of the war. Pakistan suffered a decisive military defeat as Indian forces achieved dominance across land, air and sea, ultimately paving the way for the creation of Bangladesh.
More than five decades later, the Hangor name has resurfaced in strategic discussions. Pakistan's first Hangor-class submarine, commissioned in China in April, arrived in Karachi last week and is already being projected as a platform capable of expanding the Pakistan Navy's operational reach beyond its traditional waters.
Senior Pakistani naval officials have indicated that the new submarine could allow Islamabad to maintain a presence in the Bay of Bengal, a region where Pakistan has had virtually no sustained naval footprint since the 1971 conflict and the subsequent loss of East Pakistan.
The remarks come at a time when ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh have shown signs of improvement, both at the civilian and military levels. They also coincide with growing strategic competition among regional navies in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific regions.
Since its defeat in 1971, Pakistan's naval operations have largely remained concentrated in the northern Arabian Sea. In contrast, the Bay of Bengal has long been an area where India enjoys substantial geographical and operational advantages.
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The region hosts India's Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam and lies close to the strategically significant Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is also a critical maritime corridor for trade and energy flows involving India, Bangladesh and other regional economies.
The Bay of Bengal, bordered by India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, has acquired increasing geopolitical importance amid the rise of competing naval powers across the Indo-Pacific.
Against this backdrop, comments made earlier this month by Pakistan Navy Commodore Omer Farooq have attracted attention. Farooq, who commanded the flotilla escorting the new submarine from China to Pakistan, stated that the induction of the Hangor-class submarines would provide Pakistan with the capability to sustain a presence in the Bay of Bengal.
Describing the platform as a "game changer", Farooq also noted that Pakistan intends to induct eight submarines of the class. His remarks were reported by The Morning on June 7. The comments were made during a stopover in Sri Lanka while returning from China. Farooq addressed guests aboard the Pakistani frigate PNS Taimur at Colombo Port.
Before the arrival of the new vessel, the Pakistan Navy operated a fleet of five submarines. The Chinese-built Hangor-class submarines are expected to gradually replace Pakistan's ageing Agosta-class fleet and form the backbone of its future underwater warfare capability.
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