DHAKA — More than five decades after losing its foothold in the Bay of Bengal during the 1971 Liberation War, Pakistan is signaling a renewed interest in the strategically vital waters east of the Indian subcontinent.
The arrival of Pakistan’s first China-built Hangor-class submarine has drawn attention not only because of its advanced capabilities, but also because senior Pakistani naval officers have openly discussed using the new platform to maintain a presence in the Bay of Bengal—a region where Pakistan’s naval footprint has been minimal since the birth of Bangladesh in 1971.
The development comes amid rapidly expanding diplomatic, economic and military engagement between Bangladesh and Pakistan, raising fresh questions about the future security architecture of the eastern Indian Ocean and the strategic implications of closer ties between Dhaka and Islamabad.
A Symbolic Name from the 1971 War
The Hangor name carries deep symbolism in Pakistan’s naval history.
During the 1971 India-Pakistan War, the submarine PNS Hangor torpedoed and sank the Indian frigate INS Khukri in the Arabian Sea, killing 176 Indian sailors, including Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla, who remained aboard the sinking vessel and was later posthumously awarded India’s Maha Vir Chakra.
The operation remains one of Pakistan Navy’s most celebrated wartime achievements. Yet it did little to alter the outcome of the conflict.
Pakistan suffered a decisive defeat in 1971 as Indian military intervention and the Bengali liberation struggle led to the creation of Bangladesh. Pakistani forces lost control of East Pakistan, and the country’s military presence in the Bay of Bengal effectively disappeared.
More than half a century later, Islamabad has revived the Hangor name for a new generation of submarines that form the centerpiece of Pakistan’s largest naval modernization effort in decades.
Pakistan’s New Underwater Fleet
Pakistan’s first Hangor-class submarine was formally commissioned in Sanya, China, on April 30.
At the commissioning ceremony, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari described the submarine as a milestone for the country’s naval capabilities.
“The induction of Hangor-class submarines marks a historic milestone in strengthening Pakistan’s maritime defence and safeguarding national interests,” Zardari said during the commissioning ceremony attended by senior Pakistani and Chinese officials.
The submarine arrived in Karachi last week and became the first vessel in a planned fleet of eight Hangor-class submarines. Four are being built in China, while the remaining four are expected to be constructed in Pakistan under a technology-transfer arrangement.
The submarines are widely expected to be equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, allowing them to remain submerged significantly longer than conventional diesel-electric submarines. Such systems make submarines more difficult to detect and track, enhancing their survivability and operational flexibility.
The new vessels are expected to replace Pakistan’s aging Agosta-class submarines, which have formed the backbone of the country’s submarine force for decades.
Bay of Bengal Ambitions
What has attracted particular attention, however, is not merely the submarine itself but the strategic vision being articulated by Pakistani naval officers.
According to Colombo-based news outlet The Morning, Commodore Omer Farooq, who commanded the flotilla escorting the submarine from China to Pakistan, said the Hangor-class fleet would allow Pakistan to extend its operational reach into the Bay of Bengal.
Speaking aboard the Pakistani frigate PNS Taimur during a stop at Colombo Port in Sri Lanka, Farooq described the new submarines as a “game changer” for the Pakistan Navy.
“The induction of the Hangor-class submarines will provide the reach required to maintain a presence in the Bay of Bengal,” Farooq said during the event while returning from China with the submarine.
The remarks are significant because Pakistan’s naval operations have traditionally remained concentrated in the Arabian Sea since the 1971 war.
A sustained Pakistani naval presence in the Bay of Bengal would represent a major geographic expansion of Islamabad’s maritime ambitions.
Why the Bay of Bengal Matters
The Bay of Bengal has emerged as one of the most strategically important maritime regions in the Indo-Pacific.
It hosts critical shipping lanes connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia and East Asia. Vast quantities of energy supplies, container traffic and commercial cargo pass through these waters each year.
The region is also home to major naval installations.
India’s Eastern Naval Command is headquartered in Visakhapatnam, while the Andaman and Nicobar Islands serve as a key strategic outpost overlooking critical maritime routes through the Malacca Strait.
For decades, India has enjoyed overwhelming geographic and operational advantages in the Bay of Bengal. The Indian Navy maintains extensive infrastructure, surveillance systems and operational assets across the region.
Under international maritime law, however, no country controls the Bay of Bengal beyond its territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone. Military vessels from various nations are generally free to operate in international waters beyond those limits.
As competition intensifies among regional and global powers in the Indo-Pacific, naval access and presence have become increasingly important strategic tools.
Bangladesh-Pakistan Relations Enter a New Phase
Pakistan’s renewed interest in the Bay of Bengal coincides with a notable warming of relations between Dhaka and Islamabad.
Relations between the two countries remained strained for decades after the Liberation War, largely due to unresolved historical grievances and political sensitivities stemming from 1971.
That dynamic has shifted significantly since the political transition in Bangladesh in 2024.
Direct flights between Dhaka and Karachi have resumed after decades of suspension. Senior political exchanges have intensified, including meetings between Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has also visited Dhaka as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral engagement.
Economic ties have expanded rapidly. Reports indicate bilateral trade increased by 27 percent between August and December 2024, followed by additional growth in 2025. Both countries have also announced plans for expanded investment cooperation, including a memorandum involving potential investments worth $1 billion.
Cultural exchanges have similarly increased, including academic and artistic events involving Pakistani participants in Bangladesh.
Growing Military Contacts
The most closely watched aspect of the relationship, however, has been military cooperation.
Earlier this year, Bangladesh Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan visited Pakistan and met senior military officials, including Field Marshal Asim Munir. Reports from the visit indicated Bangladeshi interest in the JF-17 fighter aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China.
Military personnel from both countries also participated in Pakistan’s Aman-25 multinational maritime exercise.
Following the political changes in Bangladesh, direct sea trade between Karachi and Chattogram resumed for the first time since 1971. Pakistani vessels have received operational access to Bangladeshi ports, and visa restrictions have been eased.
In November 2025, the Pakistan Navy frigate PNS Saif visited Chattogram for four days, marking the first visit by a Pakistani warship to Bangladesh since the Liberation War.
While there is no indication that Bangladesh has agreed to host Pakistani military assets or provide naval facilities, regional analysts are paying close attention to reports of discussions on broader defence cooperation.
Such arrangements could potentially include intelligence sharing, joint exercises and expanded military exchanges.
Strategic Implications for India
The emergence of a more active Pakistani naval posture in the Bay of Bengal is unlikely to alter the regional balance of power in the near term.
India possesses overwhelming naval advantages, including nuclear-powered submarines, aircraft carriers, advanced maritime patrol aircraft and extensive surveillance infrastructure.
Over the past five decades, the Indian Navy has transformed itself into one of the region’s most capable maritime forces, maintaining strong operational presence in both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
Nevertheless, analysts say Pakistan’s efforts could complicate India’s strategic calculations.
A more active Pakistani presence in waters traditionally dominated by India would require additional monitoring and resources, particularly if accompanied by closer military coordination between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The broader significance may therefore lie less in the capabilities of a single submarine and more in the geopolitical context in which it is being deployed.
Bangladesh at the Center of a Changing Regional Landscape
For Bangladesh, the issue extends beyond Pakistan’s naval modernization.
The Bay of Bengal has become a focal point of regional competition involving India, China, the United States and other Indo-Pacific powers. Bangladesh’s strategic location makes it an increasingly important player in that evolving landscape.
Critics of the current government argue that major shifts in defence and foreign policy deserve greater public transparency and parliamentary scrutiny, particularly when they involve relationships shaped by the legacy of the Liberation War.
Supporters of expanded engagement contend that Bangladesh should maintain constructive relations with all countries based on national interests.
As Pakistan prepares to induct additional Hangor-class submarines over the coming years, strategic attention is likely to focus not only on the submarines themselves but also on the changing political and security relationships surrounding the Bay of Bengal.
The return of the Hangor name to regional waters serves as a reminder of the past. More importantly, however, it highlights how rapidly the strategic landscape of South Asia continues to evolve more than five decades after the events that created Bangladesh.
