Chinese destroyer ship (Jinan) at Mumbai Harbour anchorage for four days

MUMBAI, -- Luyang-II Class guided-missile destroyers (Jinan) of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy is at Mumbai harbour anchorage on Monday morning. The Chinese Naval vessel will be going alongside berth likely at Mumbai Port Trust on Tuesday. The vessel is going to stay in Mumbai for the next four days.

The destroyer ship reached Mumbai harbour after completing its term of anti-piracy patrol at Gulf of Eden. "The PLA Navy vessel was on anti-piracy patrol and shall be leaving for Salalah from Mumbai on July 24. The Chinese destroyer ship reached Mumbai harbour on July 20," said an Indian Navy official.

The 20th fleet from China's navy left east China's port city Zhoushan in April for the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somali to escort civil ships. Jinan is commissioned at the end of 2014. "The destroyer vessel forms a part of the 20th Anti-Piracy Escort Force (APEF)," said the official.

The fleet is comprised of the missile destroyer Jinan, missile frigate Yiyang and supply ship Qiandaohu. It is equipped with two helicopters and staffed by dozens of special operation soldiers and hundreds of officers.