Delhi speed, layered air defence, and task-group range

The Delhis reached 6,200 tons full load, growing by more than 1,200 tons, nearly twenty metres in length, and over a metre in beam compared with the Rajputs. Top speed fell from about 35 to 32 knots. A few extra knots still affect strategic movement, but above roughly 30 knots they offer little help in tactical defence against fast aircraft and missiles. Decoys, interceptor missiles, and close-in guns provide the defensive layers needed against those threats. The class retained a 4,500-nautical-mile cruising range at 18 knots, matching the Rajputs' stated endurance. With five Rajputs and three Delhis then available, a surface group could be organized around a command-capable Delhi paired with an earlier destroyer.