On High Alert As China Speeds Up Submarine Deliveries to Pak, Indian Navy to Showcase Tech Push At Swavlamban 2025

India is closely watching China’s rapid delivery of advanced submarines to Pakistan, a development that could alter the naval balance in the Indian Ocean.

The Indian Navy on November 20, 2025, said it is maintaining heightened vigilance and operational readiness as its western neighbour moves to significantly upgrade its underwater warfare capabilities with Chinese support.

What did the Indian Navy say about Pakistan’s submarines?

Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan said the service is fully aware of China’s accelerating military assistance to Pakistan, particularly the induction of new-generation submarines.

“We are aware that China is supplying submarines and ships to Pakistan. We are monitoring everything closely, and the Indian Navy is fully prepared,” he said.

What is Pakistan’s Hangor-class submarine deal with China?

Pakistan is in the process of inducting eight Hangor-class diesel-electric submarines under a $5 billion agreement with China, one of the largest defence deals between the two nations.

Signed in 2015, the programme includes four submarines built in China and four assembled in Pakistan. The first boat was launched in April 2024, followed by two more this year. All eight platforms are expected to be delivered between 2022 and 2028.

What did Pak Navy chief says about Chinese submarines?

Pakistan’s Naval Chief, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, recently reaffirmed the programme’s timeline, telling China’s state-run Global Times that the submarines remain on track for induction by 2026.

He described the launch of the second and third boats as a “major milestone” in China–Pakistan naval cooperation.

How is Indian Navy’s tech push shaping up?

As the security environment tightens, the Indian Navy is simultaneously sharpening its focus on innovation and technological self-reliance.

Ahead of Swavlamban 2025, its flagship seminar on indigenisation, Vice Admiral Vatsayan outlined the service’s push to accelerate disruptive technologies and strengthen the domestic defence ecosystem.

What is Swavlamban 2025?

Scheduled later this month, Swavlamban 2025 will spotlight the Navy’s progress toward Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) and showcase solutions developed through collaborations with startups, MSMEs, and industry leaders.

The theme for this year, ‘Strength and Power through Innovation and Indigenisation’, underscores the Navy’s emphasis on homegrown, cutting-edge capabilities.

What can be seen at the Swavlamban 2025?

Dedicated exhibit zones will display successful indigenous products and solutions that have completed the entire “ideation to induction” cycle.

The VCNS noted that the Swavlamban series has played a pivotal role in energising India’s defence innovation landscape, particularly through the iDEX programme.

How is the Indian Navy leading in innovation excellence?

The Navy leads all three services in the number of iDEX challenges issued, accounting for 35 percent of those launched since the initiative’s inception.

Swavlamban 2022 marked a milestone with the introduction of 75 challenges under the SPRINT initiative, surpassing all previous defence startup challenges combined.

What has been the impact of Indian Navy’s indigenisation?

Vatsayan said the impact goes far beyond numbers: the Navy’s confidence in MSMEs and startups has helped transform them into crucial solution providers.

This cultural shift toward innovation-driven collaboration, he added, is reshaping India’s defence preparedness at a time when regional maritime threats are evolving rapidly.