The first Hangor-class submarine arrived at Karachi Port, with Pakistan planning to induct eight such vessels by 2028. The submarine is equipped with advanced combat systems, modern sensors, Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, and enhanced stealth features. The Pakistan Navy stated that the commissioning of the first Hangor-class submarine marks another chapter in the time-tested and enriching friendship between Pakistan and China.

According to EurasianTimes.com, the first Hangor-class submarine was commissioned into the Pakistan Navy on April 30 in the Chinese port city of Sanya. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari attended the ceremony and called it a 'historic milestone' for the Pakistan Navy. Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of Naval Staff, said the Hangor-class submarines would help preserve stability in the region and secure vital sea lanes across the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean.

According to SCMP, four Hangor-class submarines are built in China, and the remainder will be constructed in Pakistan. SCMP also reported that PNS Hangor is named after an earlier Daphne-class submarine that sank the Indian frigate INS. The arrival of the Hangor-class submarine is reported as a provocative act toward India. The historical context of Pakistan's submarine operations in the Bay of Bengal and India's past sinking of a Pakistani submarine is invoked. India's attention to the Hangor-class submarine is presented as significant or concerning. India's submarine modernization is described as delayed and slower than Pakistan's.