Hangor Day occupies a distinctive position in Pakistan’s maritime history, marking an event that profoundly shaped Pakistan Navy’s operational philosophy and strategic development. Observed annually on 9th of December, it commemorates the 1971 engagement in which the diesel-electric submarine PNS/M HANGOR successfully sank the Indian frigate INS KHUKRI.

This outcome was not simply a tactical triumph; it reconfigured regional naval assessments, demonstrated the decisive utility of undersea platforms in asymmetric environments and catalyzed long-term transformations in Pakistan’s maritime defense posture. The event is widely regarded as one of the most consequential submarine actions in post-Second World War history and remains central to understanding how Pakistan formulated its approach to maritime defense in an environment marked by asymmetry and regional rivalry.

Hangor Day represents more than the commemoration of a wartime achievement; it exemplifies how a single successful operation can influence the evolution of a navy’s professional ethos, operational doctrine and long-term capability development. Its significance endures because it intersects with questions of deterrence, coastal security and the strategic value of undersea warfare in South Asia’s contested maritime spaces.

The historical trajectory leading to Hangor’s operational deployment reflects Pakistan’s early recognition of the advantages inherent in undersea warfare. During the 1960s, as South Asian maritime competition intensified, Pakistan sought capabilities that could compensate for disparities in surface combatant strength. The acquisition of Daphné-class submarines thus represented a calculated effort to employ stealth, mobility and acoustic advantage in order to counter a larger adversary navy.

Hangor’s commissioning in 1969 marked a moment when Pakistan’s conceptual........

© Pakistan Observer