Chinese video announcement. "Pakistan is to build 4 Type 035 Ming class submarines in Karachi and 4 AIP Mings will be supplied direct". (Youtube courtesy PLA-N)
---
![]()
Chinese Ming class, Type 035 SSK, also may be upgraded to mount the Russian supplied Klub-S land attack missile. Similar to those fired by Russia at Islamic State targets in Syria.
---
---
---
Pakistan has been keenly awaiting submarine assistance from its powerful Chinese ally and now details of the 8 submarines have emerged. Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported, October 7, 2015, that:
"China will build in Karachi four of eight submarines that it is selling to Pakistan.
Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain told at the inauguration of the Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO) Display Centre in the federal capital that the deal for the acquisition of submarines from China had been finalised and four of them would be built here.
He further said that construction of the submarines would simultaneously begin in Pakistan and China.
China, he said, would transfer the technology to Pakistan for submarine construction.
Mr Hussain did not specify when the construction would begin, but said it would be happening soon.
A training centre would be set up in Karachi for this purpose.
A training centre would be set up in Karachi for this purpose.
The minister did not either say which type of submarines were being purchased from China."
China, in recognition of Pakistan's government budgetary conditions, is providing affordable submarines on special credit terms with prudent technical upgrades. Upgrades may include air independent propulsion (AIP) and Russian supplied Klub-S "Sizzler" land attack missiles with a 300 km range - insufficient to reach Delhi but within reach of Mumbai.
China, in recognition of Pakistan's government budgetary conditions, is providing affordable submarines on special credit terms with prudent technical upgrades. Upgrades may include air independent propulsion (AIP) and Russian supplied Klub-S "Sizzler" land attack missiles with a 300 km range - insufficient to reach Delhi but within reach of Mumbai.
HISTORY OF THE CHINA-PAKISTAN SUBMARINE DEAL
Tough negotiations between Pakistan and China have continued for almost a decade but have now been completed.
- March 9, 2011 The Hindu “Pak plans to acquire 6 submarines from China”
- March 1, 2014 Times of India story
- March 31, 2015 Dawn article "ISLAMABAD: Naval officials informed the Standing Committee on Defence Monday that the federal government has endorsed a summary to get eight submarines from China.".
- April 2, 2015 Reuters article - - Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has approved a deal years in the making to buy eight submarines from China. A Pakistani government official said on Thursday, in what could be one of China's largest overseas weapons sales once it is signed. The official...said the deal to buy the diesel-electric submarines would likely be signed by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visits.
Chinese President Xi Jinping April 2015 visited Pakistan and a special agreement negotiated.
Diagram of the Ming 035 stealth submarine. Radar absorbent anechoic tiling will be placed on the hulls of the 8 Type 035s.