Pakistan will acquire at least eight modified diesel-electric attack submarines from China by 2028 in a nearly $5 billion agreement, said to be the biggest arms export deal for the Communist giant.
The head of Pakistan’s next-generation submarine programme and senior naval officials briefed the members of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence on August 26 regarding the deal worth approximately $4 to 5 billion, according to state-run media.
The statement made by naval officials to the committee members showed that the programme of next generation submarines was moving ahead, Radio Pakistan reported.
In April, a senior Pakistan Navy official had announced that Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) had secured a contract to produce four of the eight submarines, which will be fitted with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems.
Often described as Pakistan’s “all weather friend”, China is expected to extend a long-term loan to Pakistan at a low interest rate to cover the cost of the project, it said. The type of submarines to be supplied to Pakistan Navy are not yet confirmed.
