Opinion: Weapons Over Welfare — Debt-Strapped Pakistan Pursues Big-Ticket Naval Supremacy Plans As Citizens Suffer

Pakistan Navy’s Hunain, an offshore patrol vessel, is the third of the country's four Yarmook-class ships being constructed in Romania. Partnerships with foreign shipbuilders, such as Romania’s Damen Shipyards, highlight Pakistan’s reliance on external actors to achieve its modernisation goals.

Source : x.com/dgprPaknavy

Amid a crumbling economy and widespread public discontent, Pakistan is embarking on an ambitious naval modernisation programme that aims to reshape the strategic dynamics of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). While these developments minimally add to Islamabad’s maritime capabilities, they raise critical questions about the country’s priorities, especially as it grapples with inflation, debt, and socioeconomic stagnation. The contrast between Pakistan’s military ambitions and its