With the Indian Navy going through a massive modernisation phase, Pakistan has accelerated its efforts to have one of Asia’s largest naval fleets by increasing its surface fleet to 50 warships and its subsurface fleet to 11 submarines.
Pakistan’s defence establishment is rattled as the India’s only port operated by the Indian Navy is coming up fast and is expected to become the largest naval base east of the Suez Canal.
Twenty of the 50 surface ships that the Pakistan Navy hopes to deploy are anticipated to be “major surface vessels,” such as corvettes and frigates.
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The main motive of this move by Pakistan is to achieve some parity with the Indian Navy, whose sphere of influence stretches from Malacca Strait in the east to the Gulf of Aden in the west.
The Pakistan Navy is a significant regional naval power in the Indian subcontinent, even though its operational area is not as large as that of its fiercest rival.
India’s naval build-up is seen by Pakistan as a direct danger because it offers India considerable maritime warfighting capabilities, which might put Pakistan at a disadvantage in a future confrontation.
It is highlighted in an article on the defense website Quwa that Pakistan’s defense sector is still unable to provide turnkey assistance for the majority of naval subsystems and shipbuilding. The main industrial sectors of Pakistan, including the production of advanced-grade steel, gas turbines, diesel engines, semiconductors, and composites, were found to have gaps.
The original equipment manufacturers’ awareness of the need to advance original system manufacturing in Pakistan is discussed in the article.
“For success, OEMs ought to think about collaborating with regional suppliers in charge of subsystems, like state-owned companies like Stingray Technologies, for instance.” the report continued.
India has launched a Make-In-India campaign in the past few years to increase manufacturing capabilities. The campaign encourages foreign vendors to form joint ventures with their Indian counterparts.
Recently, Spanish company Navantia teamed up with Larsen & Toubro to submit a bid to build AIP-equipped submarines for India, while German company ThyssenKrupp teamed up with Indian shipbuilder Mazagaon Dockyard Limited (MDL).
However, the route is not that simple for Pakistani companies, as the United States has blacklisted the majority of these organizations, particularly those associated with the Strategic Plans Division. Working with them may subject foreign companies to US sanctions.
But in order to construct larger and more advanced warships in the future, Karachi Shipyards and Engineering Works (KSEW) has been pushing forward with its capabilities augmentation.
The fascinating thing is that India is developing a naval base nearby that will resemble the enormous Norfolk naval complex in Virginia, which is home to the US Navy.
INS (Indian Naval Ship) Kadamba, also known as Project Seabird, is the first operational base with a port under the complete control of the Indian Navy.
Because of this, the Indian Navy is able to deploy and manoeuvre its operational fleet without being constrained by the movements of merchant ships.
The other two operating ports of the Indian Navy are in enclaves within commercial ports in Mumbai and Visakhapatnam.
Situated on both Indian coasts, maneuvering battleships among commerce vessels can present challenges during hostilities.
The Indian Navy benefits from having INS Kadamba closer to one of the busiest maritime lanes in the world and still out of Pakistan’s fighter jet’s strike radius as it continues to establish itself as the first responder in the Indian Ocean Region.
An aircraft carrier, destroyers, stealth frigates, and submarines may all be housed in this naturally occurring deep-water harbor.
The base’s primary responsibilities include the upkeep, overhaul, and repair of the surface and submarine fleet.
In 2015, Pakistan announced its intention to build up its navy. The first deal to purchase eight S26 air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped Hangor-class (SSP) submarines from China was awarded in 2015.
Four boats will be made in Pakistan at KSEW as part of the project; the remaining boats would be made in China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. The last four boats from KSEW were expected by 2028, with the first four scheduled for delivery by 2023.
However, the project was delayed due to financial issues and challenges obtaining German approval for the engine’s export.
In April 2024, the Wuchang Shipbuilding yard in Wuhan successfully launched the first of Pakistan’s eight Hangor II submarines.
The KSEW is experiencing a significant increase in shipbuilding capability. The KSEW, a major shipyard in Pakistan, has started utilizing a Syncrolift shift lift-and-transfer system.
The ship lift, which was ordered in 2017, enables KSEW to build 13 ships on land and transport their hulls to dockyards for sea testing and launch.
A new construction hall and fabrication facility, part of KSEW’s expansion, will handle all aspects of building larger navy vessels as well as overhauling and integrating new subsystems into older ships.
Because of its increasing capability, the KSEW is now able to support ships weighing up to 8,000 tons, suggesting that it may eventually pursue larger shipbuilding projects such as the construction of frigates, destroyers, or auxiliary vessels.
Four Babur-class corvettes have previously been constructed by the KSEW for the Pakistan Navy. PNS Badar and PNS Tariq, the first two ships, were launched in 2022 and 2023.
Both of the Corvettes were supposed to be produced locally, according to the deal. The fourth ship in the class is being built in the Karachi shipyard, while the second ship in the class, PNS Badar, was launched by KSEW in May 2022.
Turkey is where the class’s first and third ships are constructed. By 2025, all four of the ships will be in service with the Pakistani Navy.
It was confirmed by satellite pictures that a new tiny submarine had been spotted at KSEW. Officially, the Pakistan Navy has given no information about its specifications. But it’s anticipated that the tiny submarines will operate in shallow water.
Jinnah-class frigates will be built by KSEW, and the Pakistan Navy has already contracted with ASFAT (military factory and shipyard management) to design a new frigate that meets its requirements. Four ships of the Jinnah class are to be built as part of the contract. Also expressing interest in the Turkish STM-500 Shallow-Water Attack Submarine is the Pakistani Navy.
These submarines are employed for mine warfare and the deployment of Special Forces. The IDEAS 2022 expo included the STM-500.
These submarines are expected to be built by the KSEW after the agreement is signed.
