The Pakistan Navy has received the first of its Chinese-built Hangor-class attack submarine fleet, as Beijing and Islamabad step up defence cooperation.

A commissioning ceremony was held for the advanced submarine – named the PNS/M Hangor – in the Chinese city of Sanya on Hainan Island on Thursday, according to a statement from Pakistan’s military.

Asif Ali Zardari, the country’s president, and naval chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf attended the event along with senior officials from both the...