Pakistan has only two operational submarines, rest are…, satellite images reveal SHOCKING details about…; what it means for India?
India-Pakistan war: Amid heightened tensions and the threat of a major scale India-Pakistan war, satellite images have uncovered a significant weakness of the enemy, revealing that the Pakistan Navy has only two operational submarines at present, while the rest are currently undergoing maintenance and repairs.
According to experts, this significantly weakens Pakistan’s maritime power in the Arabian Sea even as Islamabad has bolstered the Pakistan Navy with submarines, unlike the Indian Navy, which has focused on powerful frigates and warships to attain naval superiority in the region.
Pakistan Navy has only two operational submarines
As per reports, satellite images from March 2025 reveal that only two out of Pakistan Navy’s eight submarines are currently in operational use, while the remaining vessels are stuck in repairs or upgrades, and will take several months to be sea-ready. This raises serious questions about the operational preparedness of the Pakistan Navy amid the threat of an India-Pakistan war.
Reports suggest that the satellite images, which have been been shared on X (former Twitter and purportedly reveal the status of Pakistan’s submarine fleet at the Karachi port, were taken in March this year.
The Pakistan Navy has two Agosta-70 (Hashmat class) and three Agosta-90B (Khalid class) submarines, and its believed that only two Agosta-90B class vessels are operational, while the rest are docked at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) for repairs and upgrades.
As per the satellite imagery from the Karachi Naval Dockyard and the Ormara Naval Base, three Pakistan Navy submarines are undergoing repairs at the dock, two are completely broken down, and only two are in an operational state.
Pakistani subs could be key targets for India
According to OSINT sources, a majority of of the submarines present at Pakistan’s naval base in Karachi are either without crew or undergoing repairs at the dockyard, and only Agosta-90B class vessels are active. Pakistan had acquired these vessels from France in the 1990s and later attempted to upgrade them but those efforts have not been successful so far.
Military experts assert this presents a unique opportunity for India as these docked vessels could be strategic targets in an India-Pakistan war scenario, and the Indian Navy must neutralize them before they are made operational again.
Notably, the Indian Navy has a fleet of over 16 conventional submarines and one nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arihant, while the Pakistan Navy is lagging behind with its diesel-electric submarine fleet which is struggling with old platforms and maintenance problems.
Advantage India in Arabian Sea
The recent revelation about the status of Pakistan submarine fleet raises questions about Pakistan’s maritime security capabilities. Pakistan had ordered eight Type-039A (Hangor-class) submarines from China, the first of which was scheduled to be delivered in 2024, but the vessels remain undelivered due to various issues, including Islamabad’s economic crisis.
Experts believe that in a potential India-Pakistan war scenario, the Indian Navy currently commands a strong position in the Arabian Sea, and has the capability to block Pakistan’s sea routes. They say that Pakistan’s naval deterrence capability could be completely nullified, which can bring a huge imbalance in any potential India-Pakistan conflict..
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