Chinese and Indian warships arrive in Sri Lanka on same day for official visits

Three Chinese Navy warships “HE FEI,” “WUZHISHAN,” and “QILIANSHAN” arrived at Colombo Port this morning (August 26) for an official visit.

The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed them according to naval traditions.

• The “HE FEI” is a 144.50-meter-long destroyer with 267 crew members, led by Captain Chen Junfeng.
• The “WUZHISHAN” is a 210-meter-long Landing Platform Dock with 872 crew members, commanded by Captain Fei Zhang.
• The “QILIANSHAN” is also a 210-meter-long Landing Platform Dock, with 334 crew members under Captain Xiong Binghon.

Today, the commanding officers of these ships will meet Rear Admiral Chinthaka Kumarasinghe, Commander of the Western Naval Area, at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.

To foster closer ties, the crew members will participate in various programs organized by the Sri Lanka Navy and visit local tourist attractions. Sri Lankan Navy personnel will also receive briefings on the ships’ operations.

The Chinese warships will leave on August 29 after a joint naval exercise (PASSEX) with a Sri Lanka Navy ship off the coast of Colombo.

Meanwhile, the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mumbai also arrived at Colombo Port this morning. INS Mumbai is a 163-meter-long destroyer with a crew of 410, commanded by Captain Sandeep Kumar. He, too, met Rear Admiral Kumarasinghe at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.

During its stay, the crew will explore local attractions, and a briefing on the ship’s operations will be held for Sri Lankan Navy personnel. INS Mumbai will depart on August 29 after participating in a PASSEX with a Sri Lanka Navy ship.