Pakistan’s New Chinese Submarine Signals Bay of Bengal Naval Competition

Pakistan has inducted a new diesel-electric submarine built by China, marking a strategic expansion of its undersea capabilities in the Indian Ocean and signalling renewed operational interest in the Bay of Bengal, according to reports of the deployment announcement.

The addition represents the latest phase of Pakistan’s submarine modernisation programme, which has relied heavily on Chinese naval technology over the past decade. Pakistan’s submarine fleet, historically smaller and technologically outpaced by India’s, has undergone significant expansion since 2015 through Beijing-backed acquisitions.

India operates a substantially larger submarine force comprising diesel-electric boats, nuclear-powered attack submarines, and ballistic missile submarines. The Indian Navy’s submarine arm includes Kilo-class vessels acquired from Russia, domestically-built Scorpene-class submarines under the Project 75 programme, and the indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant, which carries ballistic missiles. The Navy is expanding further with Project 75 India, which will introduce next-generation submarine capability by the early 2030s.

Pakistan’s submarine fleet has traditionally operated primarily in the Arabian Sea and along its western coastline. Bay of Bengal operations represent a significant extension of patrol range and signal Pakistani intent to challenge Indian dominance in the eastern Indian Ocean. The Bay hosts critical sea lanes, India’s eastern naval bases, and serves as a strategic zone for India’s maritime interests in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

China has supplied Pakistan with Type 035 Ming-class submarines and more recently Type 039 Yuan-class boats, which feature air-independent propulsion systems enabling longer underwater endurance. These acquisitions form part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework and reflect deeper military-industrial cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad.

The Indian Navy has consistently upgraded its anti-submarine warfare capabilities, including procurement of naval helicopters equipped with sonobuoys and advanced sensors. Regular exercises like TROPEX test submarine detection and interdiction protocols across Indian waters. India’s growing focus on undersea domain awareness includes coastal surveillance systems and integration with regional maritime partnerships through the Quad and bilateral naval cooperation.

Pakistan’s submarine expansion has historically prompted Indian naval modernisation discussions, though India’s submarine force already maintains a significant quantitative and qualitative edge. The new deployment underscores ongoing naval competition in the Indian Ocean and the strategic importance both nations assign to undersea capabilities.