In line with a Could 2026 investigation by Drop Website Information, Pakistan reportedly requested China for help in buying a nuclear second-strike functionality throughout bilateral talks over a possible Chinese language navy base at Gwadar. China declined the request, citing its personal non-proliferation commitments and the strategic threat such a switch would pose to Beijing.
The declare – which, to be clear, has not been formally confirmed by both authorities – does align with a path of open-source proof spanning a few decade.
From the 2017 take a look at of the Babur-3 submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM) to on-the-record remarks by retired Pakistan Navy (PN) officers in 2024, the trajectory has been evident for a while.
Furthermore, with the arrival of the Babur-3 SLCM, Pakistan technically had established a sea-based nuclear functionality, however as what PN officers would time period it, a ‘hybrid resolution’ – i.e., the place standard platforms would deploy nuclear warheads.
Nonetheless, upon additional investigation, one will discover that the PN might have walked again on the so-called ‘hybrid mannequin’ and, as a replacement, opted to obviously demarcate between devoted nuclear deterrence and standard packages. In different phrases, any real sea-based nuclear assault functionality would solely come from a nuclear-powered platform, whereas standard platforms – together with the brand new Hangor-class submarines – will solely stick with anti-ship warfare (AShW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
