New Delhi: Sino-Pakistan camaraderie is indeed a known factor but has little impact on the Islamic nation though it has cost them downslide of relations with many others, including the United States.
Even after repeated warnings over the country’s nefarious tactics with India along the Line of Control, as well as the Financial Action Task Force dumping it in the ‘Grey List’ following terror financing charges, Pakistan continues to engage with China and conduct military exercised not far away from India’s coastal borders.
In a recent report by Forbes, Pakistani Navy submarines were seen parked right in the middle of Chinese Navy warships near Karachi, a clear indication that Pakistan is ramping up its naval fleet with assistance from ‘all weather partner’ China.
At present, Pakistan is reportedly adding eight Chinese-made Type-039B Yuan Class warships to its fleet, and the submarines spotted now are clear indicators of collaboration between Islamabad and Beijing to share military knowledge and hardware.
Satellite imageries picked up by private intelligence consultancy named ShadowBreak Intl confirmed that Pakistan Navy’s Agosta-90B type submarine – Hashmat-class – was indeed docked next to Chinese ships near Karachi.
According to the publication, the Chinese naval ships were on a joint exercise with the Pakistani fleet in January, called ‘Sea Guardian-2020’.
Interestingly, back then Pakistan’s The Nation had reported that Pakistani warships were involved in the exercise along with other military equipment such as missile boats, helicopters, anti-submarine aircraft, frigates, etc., but the fact that submarines were also part of the exercise was hidden.
Likewise, the South China Morning Post too did not furnish concrete information about the grade of submarines, barring a mention that submarines were involved.
To add to Pakistan’s hideous acts, the submarine exercise was conducted in one of Karachi’s cordoned-off commercial docks, not their usual ones.
Islamabad operates five French-designed Agosta-class submarines, of which three are improved versions with the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology, the kind seen near the Chinese vessels.
According to the report, these class of submarines are potent and one of the more modern machines in the Pakistani arsenal. Besides the AIP, the subs have AS-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles and state-of-the-art combat systems. It’s also expected to be the launchpad for the country’s homegrown Babur-3 nuclear-capable cruise missile.
