Ghost Of 1971 Returns: Why China Brings Back PNS Ghazi In India’s Backyard

China’s submarines, missiles and warships are changing the Pakistan Navy and forcing India to fight a two-front battle at sea.

New Delhi: More than five decades after the original PNS Ghazi went down during the 1971 war, the name has resurfaced in the Indian Ocean with an entirely different meaning. This time, it is supported by Chinese shipyards, cutting-edge technology and a strategic message aimed at changing naval equations in the region.

China has been strengthening Pakistan’s maritime muscle through a mix of advanced submarines, modern surface combatants and long-range strike weapons. Military analysts see this as a deliberate strategy designed to keep India tied down on its western seaboard and stretch its naval resources across multiple fronts.

During the high-intensity air clashes of May 2025, Chinese-origin J-10C fighters and PL-15 missiles dominated headlines. Away from the spotlight, Beijing was making subtle but far-reaching moves at sea, laying the groundwork for a transformed Pakistan Navy capable of contesting India’s influence across the Indian Ocean Region.

That change became clearly visible on December 17, 2025. Weeks after India marked Navy Day by remembering the sinking of the original PNS Ghazi in 1971, China launched the fourth and final Hangor-class submarine at Wuchang Shipbuilding in Wuhan. The vessel was formally named PNS Ghazi, reviving a name loaded with historical symbolism.

In a press statement, the Pakistan Navy described the launch as a major milestone, adding that all four submarines being built in China were now undergoing rigorous sea trials and moving toward final induction. The newly launched submarine is equipped with air-independent propulsion and is an export variant of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s Type 039B Yuan-class, one of China’s most advanced diesel-electric attack submarines.

This launch completes the China-built segment of Pakistan’s Hangor-class programme. Signed in 2015, the broader deal covers eight submarines in total. Four are being constructed in China, while the remaining four are to be built in Karachi at Pakistan’s shipyard under a transfer-of-technology arrangement. The first of these submarines is expected to enter active service by 2026. The timeline has been confirmed by Pakistan Navy chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf in a recent interview with Chinese state media.

Although the geopolitical landscape has evolved since the 1971 war, the rivalry between India and Pakistan is a constant. During Operation Sindoor in May 2025, while the Indian Air Force engaged Pakistani aircraft, the Indian Navy maintained a silent but ready presence in the Arabian Sea, prepared for escalation if orders were issued. The conflict ended after four days with a ceasefire, and naval forces were never called into action.

China-Pakistan Naval Cooperation

Among all defence cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad, the Hangor-class submarine programme stands out as the most consequential. Pakistan’s naval leadership has emphasised that these submarines significantly enhance stealth, endurance and striking power, enabling a wide spectrum of operations across contested waters.

The Hangor-class takes its name from the original PNS Hangor, a French-built submarine that famously sank INS Khukri during the 1971 conflict. Technologically, the new vessels are derived from China’s Yuan-class submarines, which form the backbone of the PLAN’s conventional undersea fleet.

These submarines are equipped with modern sensors and advanced weapons and are central to Pakistan’s sea-denial strategy. Reports in Pakistani media suggest they will carry anti-ship cruise missiles, heavyweight torpedoes and a version of the Babur land-attack cruise missile for long-range strikes, with possible nuclear deterrence roles. However, these claims are unverified.

What gives the Hangor-class an edge is air-independent propulsion. The Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology allows submarines to remain submerged for extended periods without surfacing, drastically reducing the risk of detection. Conventional diesel submarines must periodically surface or snorkel, releasing exhaust that can be tracked by enemy forces.

Pakistan already operates three AIP-equipped Agosta-90B submarines. The induction of the Hangor-class will raise the number of AIP-capable boats in its fleet to eleven. By comparison, India is still finalising its own AIP submarine design, with construction yet to begin, a delay that places New Delhi at a relative disadvantage against both China and Pakistan.

By reinforcing Pakistan’s naval strength, China forces India to divert substantial resources westward, limiting its ability to project power east or challenge Chinese interests in the wider Indo-Pacific. This pressure has intensified along with ongoing tensions along the Sino-Indian border.

Boosting Pakistan, Challenging India

Over the past decade, the Pakistan Navy has moved beyond its traditional coastal defence role and begun positioning itself as a force with regional reach in the northern Indian Ocean. This transformation has been driven largely by Chinese support and aligns with Islamabad’s emphasis on long-range operations, sustained patrols and advanced strike capabilities.

China’s assistance is not limited to submarines. Pakistan has also inducted some of the most advanced surface combatants derived from PLAN designs. Chief among them are the Type 054A/P multi-role frigates, known in Pakistani service as the Tughril-class. These vessels build on the earlier Zulfiquar-class frigates commissioned in 2009 and represent a significant leap in capability.

The 4,000-ton Tughril-class frigates feature stealth designs, vertical launch systems, advanced air defence and sophisticated anti-submarine warfare suites. Armed with CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles and HQ-16 surface-to-air missiles, they are considered the most capable surface ships in Pakistan’s fleet.

Pakistan’s naval leadership has highlighted their role in strengthening air defence, undersea warfare and maritime surveillance, particularly in the North Arabian Sea and the broader Indian Ocean, areas critical to global trade.

Pakistani strategists believe these frigates will be especially effective when operated along with MILGEM or Jinnah-class corvettes, offshore patrol vessels and Chinese-supplied CH-4 medium-altitude long-endurance drones.

China has also enhanced Pakistan’s naval firepower through the transfer of CM-302 missiles, an export version of the YJ-12. These ramjet-powered, sea-skimming missiles are capable of high-speed strikes against large surface warships and are often compared to the Indo-Russian BrahMos.

Previously deployed along China’s coastline and in the South China Sea, the missile now forms an important part of Pakistan’s maritime strike capability. In Pakistani service, it can be launched from frigates or coastal batteries and used in salvos to overwhelm enemy air defences.

Chinese aerospace officials have previously described the CM-302 as the most capable anti-ship missile available on the global arms market, a claim widely echoed in defence circles.

Beyond ships and missiles, China has also strengthened Pakistan’s airborne anti-submarine warfare capacity through Harbin Z-9EC helicopters. Delivered along with earlier frigate acquisitions, these helicopters provide critical over-the-horizon targeting, torpedo deployment and maritime surveillance support.

As China continues to strengthen its naval partnership with Pakistan, the scale of transformation is expected to grow. With plans for eleven AIP-equipped submarines by 2030, supported by modern frigates, advanced missiles and aerial assets, the balance of power in the Indian Ocean is entering a more contested phase. India’s ability to dominate these waters without challenge is no longer a given.