India has long regarded the Indian Ocean as the "Great Ocean of India", and underwater submarines whose whereabouts are difficult to track are the number one enemy of the Indian Navy. India's "Eurasian Times" said on the 16th that "China has been arming Pakistan with sophisticated military equipment", and the latest trend is that the second "Hangel" class AIP submarine built in Pakistan began to lay keels. India complains that all this is "annoying India".
According to the report, the Pakistan Navy announced on February 14 that the keel laying of the second "Hangel"-class submarine built at the Karachi shipyard began with the presence of the Pakistan Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Navid Ashraf. According to the Pakistan Navy's statement, according to the defense agreement reached between Pakistan and China, Pakistan will import up to eight "Hangel" class AIP submarines from China, of which the first four will be built by China, while the last four will be assembled and built by Pakistan through technology transfer. Pakistan's navy said the country's submarine force is being developed with the help of China, and the keel-laying ceremony is an important milestone in Pakistan's indigenous submarine development project.
While the specifics of the Hangel-class submarines remain classified, they are widely believed to be export modifications of the Chinese Navy's Type 039A 041 Yuan-class submarines. It is said that the submarines of this class are about 76 meters long and have a displacement of 2,800 tons, and the chief of staff of the Pakistani Navy revealed that the submarines are equipped with the latest sensors and multi-type ** developed by China and Pakistan. Of particular concern to the Indian side is the possibility that the AIP system equipped with the "Hangel" class submarine may be equipped with a Stirling engine, which means that the submarine can sail underwater for weeks without having to float, thus greatly increasing its stealth performance.
Babur III "Submarine-launched cruise missile.
India** has warned that the Hangel submarines, equipped with modern ** and sensors, can operate in a multi-threat environment and engage long-range targets, as well as have advanced underwater stealth capabilities. Another Pakistani source told EurAsia Times that the submarine will be equipped with Pakistan-developed "Babur III" cruise missiles and other unspecified **. Considering that the Babur III cruise missile has a maximum range of more than 700 kilometers and is equipped with terrain matching and real-time digital scene matching systems, so that it has the ability to carry out precision strikes against enemy targets in depth, its real threat to the Indian Navy is self-evident.
In contrast, although the Indian Navy has a larger number of submarines, only six French-designed "Fish" class submarines are truly modern, and the rest of the Russian-made "Kilo" class submarines and German-made Type 209 submarines have been in service for more than 20 years and should be decommissioned. As for India's self-built two "Enemy Destroyer"-class ballistic missile nuclear submarines, they do not yet have credible underwater combat capabilities.
Type 054AP multipurpose frigate.
What makes India even more uneasy is that India has gone to great lengths to acquire the "Fish" class submarines, and it took more than 10 years just from the beginning of negotiations to the start of construction, and the cost is even more frighteningly high. The construction of the first boat started in April 2006 and was not launched until April 6, 2015, and the actual service was delayed until 2017. After Pakistan signed an agreement with China in 2015 to introduce submarines, the construction of the sixth "Hunger" class submarine has now begun. According to the current construction progress, the submarine force of the Pakistan Navy can even achieve an overall advantage over its Indian counterparts in the near future, and it is no wonder that India has called Pakistan's acquisition of "Hangel"-class submarines "causing trouble for India".
India** also mentioned that "China's arming of Pakistan is not limited to the construction and delivery of submarines". For example, China has also built four Type 054AP multipurpose frigates for the Pakistan Navy, all of which were fully completed in April 2023. "These frigates are the most advanced export-oriented warships ever built and commissioned by China, and are expected to improve the combat capability and operational readiness of the Pakistan Navy. "The Pakistan Air Force has also received modern equipment from China, the most important of which are about 20 J-10C fighters, which the Pakistan Air Force praises as an important tool for maintaining the security balance in the region and sees them as competitors to the Indian Rafale. The report mentioned that China has also provided Pakistan with the "Rainbow" and "Pterodactyl" series of drones that can hit targets, "Pakistan has been using them in the border areas to deal with India." ”
The Pakistan Army, for its part, has acquired SH-15 155mm 52-caliber wheeled self-propelled howitzers and VT-4 main battle tanks from China. "The VT-4 is comparable to any modern tank in the world, integrating advanced armor protection, mobility, firepower capabilities and state-of-the-art technology," the Pakistan Army said. ”
The author believes that in recent years, the Indian military has taken a hostile view of any move by China. India's first exaggeration of China's export of equipment to Pakistan is "creating trouble for India", but ignoring the fact that the Indian army has been frantically purchasing advanced equipment from the world over the years, and has long been among the top three in the world's largest import list. If we really want to say it, it is precisely because India has spared no expense in importing advanced equipment that it is the main culprit that has upset the balance of military power and led to an arms race in the region.
As for the fact that India has spent a lot of money on arms purchases, but the effect is not as good as that of the Chinese equipment imported by Pakistan, that is another matter......